The Goblin King and I
by MartiOwlsten
Summary: An account of the random and often crazy events which take place now that, after rescuing him from a broken heart, there's a Goblin King in Wren's life. Humorous and dashingly Fae. JxOc... Look, we all love Sarah, but she had her chance...
1. A Spontaneous Waltz

**Disclaimer: I do not own Labyrinth nor any of the wonderful beings and places therein. Unfortunately, it would seem that they own me… eep! Wait, maybe that's a good thing...

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****A/N: Hello all! Guess what happens when wishes go wrong? Well, this does. See, I am addicted to writing actual plot - if you've ever read my other fics, you know what I mean... even my attempt at slapstick came out with a huge ol' plot line - and I wanted to terribly write a random fic with no potential plot line, other than ideas... yeah. So here we are. This isn't my usual stuff, but it's very fluffy and loads of fun, or at least to me it is... hee... **

**Okay, back to my point. I recently got into Labyrinth (can you believe I NEVER saw it as a child? What a tragedy!) and just recently saw it, only to gain a great addiction to one said Goblin King... and here is a little of the result. **

**BTW - to all the Sarah fans out there, so sorry chums. It ain't happenin'. SHE HAD HER CHANCE! NOW IT'S MY TURN! MUAHAHAHAHA! (ahem) Anyway, enjoy!**

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Staring at a computer screen is not fun. Well, I suppose it can be, but when you do it all day long, no, it is not very fun. You get this glazed look on your face, and your eyes kinda burn after awhile. 

I looked away from the accursed screen and stared out the window of my office. Today, not too many people were in – a couple of people were in training classes and another had a doctor's appointment – and so, all in all, the office was very quiet and it made me sleepy.

Eh, back to the drawing board. I went back to my work… but quickly saw that I'd finished the stack I was working on and needed to print out more vouchers.

Uh, what do I do? I work in the Financial department of a College. I'll be nice, and not say which one. Anyhoo, I process financial aid vouchers that are received via email.

So, I went back to that special inbox for the vouchers, and printed out the remainder – since they hired two more people to do the same thing that I do, it's been slow in the office, and we've been able to keep up with the workload (was it only a few months ago that I, all alone, had been backed up to almost 700 emails?). But there were five new ones. I flagged them blue (my color for the inbox) and printed them out.

With a sigh, and a silent wish for a little excitement in this dull day, I made my way over to the printer. See, my team works in a relatively private part of the building. We almost have a whole room with these lovely bright windows all to our selves… a few people pass through our area to get to other rooms, but for the most part, we're solitary. My whole team, except my manager, work in short cubicles… that means our desks are divided by walls, but the walls only go about 15 inches over the desk level, so we can all see each other. We have two printers, one close and in the middle of our small cubes, only a few feet from where I sit, and the other is over farther away, by the door.

I like the far printer. For one, I get more exercise traveling to that one, but also there is a line of empty tall cubicles, that reach way over my head, between where my team sits and the printer. My manager has one, but it's on theside thatfaces my team. So, when I go over there, I have a moment to myself… and those cubes are empty, so I can hide in one when I need too…

…not that I need to hide at work, but don't you ever have those days when you want to be alone, even if only for five minutes?

So I passed the small cubes, and moved on past the big ones, and there's the printer on a counter top, just to the right of the door.

Someone else had printed something off. Dang it.

"Great," I muttered, taking the stack of papers from the printer, "Now I need to sift through these for mine…"

But, as I started to sit them out on the counter, someone grabbed me from behind, whirling me around – and, I might add, scaring the crap out of me.

He was wearing his formal outfit – the one that drives me mental, it's so refined– and his hair had streaks of blue in it… oh, so hot! His mismatched eyes, while they had startled me, sparkled at me, filled with mischief.

"Jareth!" I hissed at him, "What are you doing-"

He touched a gloved finger to his lips, indicating that I should be quiet.

I was quiet. But… still… "I told you… what if someone sees you…"

He raised a haughty eyebrow at me, then whispered, "Coward." I glared at him – and he grinned back. Urgh, he was so infuriating sometimes!

But before I could really start to argue with him, he took me in his arms and started waltzing with me… huh? What was he… thinking?

"What in heavens name are you doing?" I whispered to him. "You shouldn't be here, at my work, where anyone could come in and see you. And what's with the dancing?" I mean, there wasn't much room back there to waltz. We'd almost hit the counter, a metal filing cabinet (empty, but would ring out loudly if bumped), a cube wall and a cork board.

He spun me dreamily, his face still very haughty and aloof, moved so his mouth was just next to my ear and said softly, his gorgeous accent clouding my senses, "I'm giving you a little excitement in your _dull_ day," his voice sent chills down my spine.

And with that, he twirled me into the farthest tall cube. Technically, it's in the corner, farthest from the printer, the small cubes, and even the door. No one goes in there, except me when I'm hiding… problem is, there isn't room in it for me to 'waltz', either.

I was all ready to smack into the empty desktop, but I blinked and staggered instead. The cube was gone, and we were in a ballroom. It seemed impossible, as the ballroom stretched out so far... technically past where me and my team's cubes were. I looked back as Jareth entered and I could still see my office… but, hey,now there was room to waltz.

He can also be really romantic sometimes. Magic so rules.

Quickly, he took me in his arms and we began waltzing around the floor, neither saying anything, but instead just watching each other and listening to the tinkling music in the room. I was still in my work clothes, so I'm sure we looked crazy together, but I suppose it didn't matter, as it was just us.

I love dancing… with him… see, I can't dance worth a squat, but Jareth is fabulous! He is so good, he makes me look good. So we waltzed quickly around the room, he dipped me a few times, spun me out, pulled me back in so that my back was against his chest… I could smell him... man, he smells good...

He wrapped his arms around me, breaking the waltz, hugging me tenderly from behind for just a moment (which was a little awkward, since he was a good six inches taller than me, and therefore had to watch where his hands went… hee…), before he quickly turned me around – or had he come around to the other side of me? I couldn't tell – and took my face in both his hands and kissed me soundly…

Oh heavens…

Weeee! I wanted to giggle and squeal – but doing so would mean I'd have to break that kiss. It was like flying!

I gasped and pulled back, hearing him laugh deviously…

And he was gone! I stood in the back cube, all evidences of any kind of ballroom gone, slightly breathless and hearing his laughter fading away in my ears.

Oh, he could still be infuriating at times! Friggin Goblin King! I'd so have to deal with him when I got off work…

I peeked around the corner to see if anyone was at the printer (no one was) before going back to my papers…

As crazy and haughty and infuriating and snobbish and mischievous and frustrating as Jareth may be, he did have a heart. He'd sorted out my papers for me.

I put the ones that weren't mine back on the printer, ran a hand through my hair to make sure it wasn't mussed, and skipped back to my desk, feeling much better and grinning like an idiot.

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**A/N: Well, wouldn't you grin after dancing with Jareth? And being kissed by him... (squeals hysterically) Okay, I'm fine... I'm fine... Please review!**

**Wonder where my Goblin King will pop up next? Me too... Hm, I should probably post about how this all started, too... I'll get around to that here, soon. I swear. REVIEW!**


	2. Part One of How it All Started

**Disclaimer: Despite the fact that I would love to own the Labyrinth and the wonders within, I do not. And, I'm being forced to point out, no one owns Jareth… he is himself, and wishes that people would stop thinking they own him. **

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****notwritten**: Why, thank you! 

**DanikaLareyna**: Sorry, I'm not trying to ruin the fantasy... I'm just kinda expounding on my own... hee... and really now, Sarah did have her chance with him, and she chose to save her brother.

And blushes who says it's ME? -blushes and giggles- I could just be writing this in first person... still, I ought to make a few _alterations_…

**Tanona Grenvield**: It's so SAD that poor children like us had to go without it! At least I loved 'The Dark Crystal'... And 14 only comes once, so enjoy it!

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**A/N: Um, okay… going by some responses I've gotten over this story, it looks like there is a need for a little clarification. I'm very sorry for all the JS shippers, and the general Sarah fans, but SHE HAD HER CHANCE! Okay, now that being said, on with the insanity.**

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**How it all began…**

Bad days are just… well, bad. I guess that's given in their names. Eh, anyhow, I have too many bad days. Usually, they come from the fact that I am, without a doubt, an oddball.

Reasons why I am weird – by the world's standards, not my own:

1. I am an overgrown child.

2. I am overweight – this is partly my fault, partly the world's for giving me so much stress and making chocolate just so good!

3. I'm past my teens and still live at home. Really, is that so bad? I still pay rent, but it's a heck of a lot cheaper…

4. I don't wear sleeveless, low necklines, short-shorts, mini-skirts, or anything else that many people consider attractive. I don't 'show things off' – I don't even look at halter tops or hip-huggers. They scare me.

5. I am obsessed with fantasy – either my own or written in books, or movies.

6. I've recently discovered that David Bowie is way hot.

7. I think he's hot. I want to say ew to that, but I can't deny it…

8. I'm making a list in my head…

To tell you the truth, I personally don't think I'm weird. I think I'm nicely grounded and normal, but you know how things go. No one will see things exactly as you do. Number two on my list is always areal kicker. I am loosing weight, I'm not like, five hundred pounds or anything, and I'm very nimble and strong and I exercise all the time… but I'm still a big girl. Problem is, ifyou don't look like a supermodel, the world hates you. Guys hate me… and many of them have no qualms in pointing this out…

"Out of my way, fatty!" some guy I didn't even know said while shoving past me. There were five feet on his other side….? What?

I stood in Wal-Mart, feeling dumfounded. Sheesh, I'd just been looking for a new DVD, and… was that even called for? Honestly? I'm big, I know it, but did he really have to say that so loudly?

I watched him walk away, laughing with a friend. A skinny, slim, tube-top wearing friend. Feeling very self conscious, I looked down at what I was wearing: flared mid-rise jeans, flip flops, and a three-fourths sleeve shirt. Was I that horrid? I knew the answer was no, but all the same, I felt like crap.

I was getting a new book and a pair of earrings. I decided to pass on the DVD. Taking what I was getting, I proceeded to checkout. From there, I headed to the car. Somewhere in there, from taking my receipt to unlocking the car door, two more people laughed at me. I'm used to having someone laugh at me, or insult me, but three within an hour? New record. It was all a slippery slope from there.

When I got home, I went through the kitchen towards my room (well, technically since the hallway and the hall closet are also mine, you might say it was my section of the house), but knocked into some baking dishes my mother had stacked up near a counter I passed.

"WREN!" my mother shrieked desperately. I knew she hadn't meant to snap at me, and was concerned about her glass dishes, but still it set me off.

"Well, sorry!" I yelled back, "I'm sorry I'm just so fat that knock everything over! IT STINKS TO BE ME!"

She tried to say something to me, but I wasn't listening to her. I just wanted to get away from the world.

Shutting the door behind me, I put my back to it and slid to the floor, finding tears were running down my face. I threw my shopping bag on my bed, angrily. I was just so tired of everything, the whole lot of it. if only things were as easy as wishes! If I could just wish myself away, I would. No hesitation. Not even for my family. They just think I'm too moody, anyhow.

"I wish I could just wish myself away…" I said crawling up on my bed and just lying there. I grabbed for my CD player, with my Labyrinth Soundtrack inside, shoving the headphones on my ears and listened to David Bowie. How come he never sounded this good with anything else? Maybe I was just obsessed with Jareth. I dunno… After fifteen minutes or so,I turned it off and promptly felt like crying again.

For no real reason, and surely not expecting anything to happen, I considered my situation and what I wanted. I just laid there, staring up at the ceiling. If life were easy, it wouldn't be hard... yeah, I knew that. Why was I angry? Because someone called me fat. They always do that. So, why did it upset me so much, now? I didn't know. Okay... so what did I know? what did I want?

In my head, I made another list: Things I know I definitely want:

1. To lose weight - I am doing this, slowly, but you know... overall, whether or not I am doing it, I still do want to do it.

2. To travel - I want to see the world, and go places I've never been before.

3. To find someone who cares about me, for who I am, other than those who are related to me and have to do so.

4. Um...

My thoughts faltered for a moment. What else could I want? I know there's more than just three things. Why else would I be angry? There had to be something else... bound and determined to find something else to add to my mental list. There had to be something else. I would make there be...

I glanced around my room, feeling frustrated. I went to my bookshelf and glanced over the titles I had. One caught my eye... it was the recent one I purchased that I was going to restore, the Labyrinth Novelization. Getting harder and harder to come by, the book had cost me a bit more than I normally would have spent on a book so small, but, you know, obsessions often speak louder than the bank account does. The cover was worn and nearly torn, but at least all the pages were still in tact. Eventually, I was going to color the white creases with acid-free gel pens and cover it with contact paper to keep it nice, but for now it was as ratty as ever.

I frowned at the cover. Oh, wasn't it just so sweet? Whatever. Sarah had the chance to escape everything, and she turned it all down! Was she nuts? Probably... after all, she was only, what, fifteen? Something like that. Still... how could anyone turn down such a thing, such an offer? I sure wouldn't...

And suddenly, with a great rush of irrational thought and illogical anger in general, I said aloud, "Dang it all, I wish the Goblin King would come and take me away, right now. Seriously, I do. I'm a nerd, and a looser, and fat, and I'm destined to be alone for the rest of my life and I wish he'd just come and take me away… right now."

This was just, you know, one of the angry things I say... I do that from time to time. Just ranting and raving... I NEVER expected anything to happen.

I could hear my mother leaving the house. My grandparents are old, and in the morning they had an early appointment… and they live way across town. So to help Mother went ahead and made plans to stay the night there. That left me alone, at home. My father was away on business. She knew better than to remind me – especially when I was in an angry mood.

And as soon as silence reigned, the power went out in my room. Not the whole house, I'm sure, but my room. It made my my anger explode.

"WRETCHED CURSES AND HEXES! STUPID OLD HOUSE!" I shouted. Clumsily, I put my book back on the shelf and started fumbling around, trying to find my flashlight.

I found it, upright on my chest of drawers. Getting it turned right side up (I always turn flashlights up to the ceiling, so they act more like a lamp) and fumbled with the switch.

I flicked it on... and there was a kind of explosion. It was... a puff of glitter and black material and sparkly light all over my room. I shrieked and backed myself into the corner…

And then decided I had completely lost my mind. Stress, obviously, had driven me to insanity. Before me, frowning, was the Goblin King. There wasn't anyone else he could have been. Yes, I had surely lost it.

"You are not real," I said promptly, blinking my eyes, my breath heaving in and out of my chest. "You are a figment of my imagination and some kind of subconsciously weird attraction to an eighties' Rock icon. Go away."

The figure, which had materialized in my bedroom, was glaring at me haughtily from where he stood in front of my closet. He seemed... bored. Or was he frustrated? "No, I think not," he said without a smile, "You summoned me here with your words... you made a wish…"

"Okay, time for you to stop talking," I interrupted. "I'm crazy, okay? You are not real!"

"Little girl-"

"STUFF IT!" I shouted, getting to my feet. Real or not, I had been insulted enough for one day, and I'd hit my boiling point. "I'M A GROWN WOMAN! True, I live at home, but DON'T CALL ME LITTLE!"

"Now see here!" he said, his haughty face getting angry. My outburst had seemed to shock him out of the indifference he'd been giving me earlier.

Okay, so crazy or not, I had to give myself credit for thinking of this one. No imaginary person of mine had ever been so real looking. Ever. This guy was the spitting image of how I always imagined Jareth. He had the wild hair, the two different colored eyes, the sparkly cape, tights, boots and all. Currently, he was giving me this kind of snotty and offended look, with his hands on his hips.

"You're a figment of my imagination! Stop this!" I covered my eyes… this figment was too real… just too disturbing, even for me… hot, yes, but disturbing…

"Come now," he said, his voice sounding angry. "I am really beginning to regret answering your call...my luck I get the old one who thinks she is insane, after all these years of not answering the calls," the last bit he mumbled to himself, "You are allowed to hate me, you are allowed to call me whatever you like– but I will NOT tolerate you being there and telling me that I do not exist!"

"But you don't!"

"I am real!" he shouted. Okay, I knew that yes, he was fake, but even I had to admit that I jumped a bit when he raised his voice at me. I turned and faced him, feeling as though the world was seriously out to get me today.

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

"Are – wait, why am I even arguing with you?" He put his gloved fingers to his temples, as if battling a sudden headache, "I AM THE GOBLIN KING! I DONOTHAVE TO ANSWER TO YOU, OF ALL PEOPLE! I DO NOTNEED YOU TO VALIDATE MY EXISTENCE!" he threw his hands in the air and I flew back onto my bed, more than a little winded.

I stood up, a little shakily, and took a deep breath, ready to shout something back to him about validation when… I got it. He had to be real. He'd blown me backwards, and even some of the things around my room had wobbled…

Oh crap.

And I think my fear showed on my face.

"Ah, at last, the dense one's brain has finally filtered in and processed the fact that Iamvery real. Feel better?" he grinned sarcastically– even in my frightened state, his grin was very dashing.

"Go away," I said sharply, "I said go away!"

His grin faded, "You do not seem to quite understand, do you? Let mesimplify for you. You made a wish, like a contract. I accepted. It's done. You _said the words!_" he threw his hands in the air, frustrated, "You are getting on my nerves! Look at you! It is as though you refuse to even remember what you wished for! This is ludicrous..."

I nodded and moved backwards, to the small corner of my room beside my bed. "I… I remember... I wished you would come and take me to your kingdom… and help me get away from here…"

He nodded, extending a hand to me even though his voice remained sarcastic,"Oh, good, she remembers. May we get on with this?"

I thought about it. "Can you come back tomorrow?"

"I – what?" he frowned, shocked by my question.

"I have things to do tonight," I said, simply, hoping desperately to buy myself some time… and perhaps some Prozac. Or whatever it is people take for this sort of thing. Part of me was still clinging onto the insanity thing. "So tomorrow, then?"

His face went blank in that kind of I'm-really-getting-tired-of-dealing-with-you kinda way. His eyes, in the strange sparkly light that filled my room, glinted oddly. It frightened me.

Before I could blink, he had retrieved a crystal from his… well, I don't know where from… and threw it at me. I yelped.

"No, now!" he said as it popped me in the forehead, knocking me out cold.

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When I sat up, I blinked and looked around me. 

"Oh crap."

Out before me was, as crazy as it sounds, the Labyrinth. I blinked again and again. It didn't go away. I felt the dirt under my jeans, and it was very… dirty. So was the twig sticking me in the rump, and the other dead weed-thingy scratching my ankle.

"Such language," a clipped accent drew my attention from the left. I turned and saw him, again.

"Jareth? Are you really Jareth?" I rubbed my eyes.

He rolled his. "This, my dear, is getting old. I am REAL!"

His shout blew me over - a very angry wind. "Aaah, whoa!" I toppled over, getting dirt and dust on my hands and arms to keep myself up. Was it just me, or was he more sarcastic and... resentful... than Jareth was supposed to be? "What is your problem? Okay, fine, you're real, I get it… is there something bugging you?"

A very odd look passed over his face. "Trying to play therapist, are we? Sorry to disappoint you, but you are nothere to analyze _me_." He paused, cleared his throat and struck what he must have thought was an intimidating pose, and recited his lines, "You have thirteen hours to complete the Labyrinth before your… hold on a tic…"

"What's wrong?" I asked, getting to my feet. He looked really puzzled.

"You wished _yourself _away, did you not?"

Realization dawned on my face. I _had_ wished myself away, hadn't I? It... well, as irrational as my thoughts had been at the time, it had worked! I'd gotten my wish!

"Heh, I guess I did!" I smiled and started laughing, twirling my arms and spinning happily.

"Stop that, you look ridiculous," he snarled. I stopped. He cleared his throat… "So,to… clear things up… what is it you _want_?"

I grinned. Hadn't that been just the questions I'd been thinking on earlier? Now, I had an answer. "To stay here, in this world, and never have to worry about the crappy existence I had before."

"Well, _that_isa first…"

I frowned. "Really? I mean… surely there have been others who have, you know, wanted to stay?" was I really the first to wish myself away? Weird.

"Oh, yes, the young boys and girls are just _dying _to stay here in this wretched goblin-infested waste.Do you notjust see them, running all over the place, there and there?"

"You know,you don't have to be sarcastic about everything. It was just a question, for heaven's sake."

He glared at me, inhaled slowly and closed his eyes for a moment. Another odd look passed across his face, "No one has. One almost chose to... but at the last, she chose her brother instead."

"Oh… so can I stay?"

He snorted, "No!"

I scoffed at him, "Why?"

He grinned at me, "You must beat the Labyrinth for the right to stay," his voice got haughty again, and louder, "You have thirteen hours to beat-"

"Give it up already," I groaned. I turned and walked away from him, down the hill towards the Labyrinth.

"Wait," he called out, as if confused by the fact that I didn't need to hear him finish. "Where are you going?"

I snorted but didn't turn around. _I _wasn't going to waste any time. "To your castle, dummy, beyond the Goblin City. See you there."

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To be continued (though, perhaps not in the very next chapter)...

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**A/N: Mmkay, there's a bit of how everything started... how Jareth and _Wren_ first met... hee... Please review! Even if you don't like it, it's only polite to leave a little something to, you know, help me improve and all that jazz. **

**Love ya!**

**Marti**


	3. Dirty Hooker Boots

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, except for the stuff that never showed up in the film, like the plot and my characters, etc. Oh, how nice it would be to own Jareth… **

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**DanikaLareyna: You know, this is actually very different from anything else I've ever written - it's not really my style... hence the frantic-ness. I'm still working out the kinks... I'll try to improve on the details. I'm not very satisfied with the last chapter, so when I have some time, I may just edit it and make it a little... less frantic. lol. Glad I could make you laugh! (THAT's what I'm going for!)**

**And, as it happens, Wren and I are very much alike. Except she's sassier than I am… in person.**

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**A/N: Hm, okay, something occurred to me that Jareth seemed a little OOC in the last chapter… well, just FYI, there is a reason for that. I swear! Well, when I get back to finishing what happened in the Labyrinth, you'll all understand why… I hope… But, for now, this is more of a continuation of chapter one… enjoy** **

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****What happened when I got home**… 

Thank goodness I was the only one home when I got home from work. I threw my keys down and marched to my room, threw the door open, and plowed inside.

He didn't even seem to notice me. Jareth, looking as snooty as ever, was lounging lazily on my bed, propped up on his side, flipping casually through a fashion magazine I'd left lying around.

Ah, and his boots were propped up on the bed as well. "Funny, aren't you?" I said, my hands on my hips.

He didn't look up, but instead lifted a page to smell some perfume sample, "No, dear, not funny. Fashion today is a _crime_."

"I'm not talking about the magazine."

He pulled a face at the smell of the perfume, quickly wiping a gloved finger across his nose as if the smell would stick to him. "I knew what you were talking about," he turned another page, "But I was also stating a fact. Fashion today _is_ a crime – surely even you will agree with that."

"Jareth," I sighed.

He finally glanced up at me, raising one of his odd eyebrows, "Dearling, are you upset about our waltz? I thought you would appreciate it – and do not look at me that way. I was only being-"

"If you say 'generous', I'm going to blow a gasket."

He rolled his eyes and went back to the magazine. "Fine,letuscall it _kind_. Why else would I take time from my day-"

"Oh, yes, your day of _reordering time_ anyhow,"

"-to spend it at your pitiful office? I thought it was a sweet gesture…"

I sighed and looked at the ceiling. My pitiful ceiling. It's the old cottage-cheese-ceiling, since my house was built in, like, the seventies. And it was chipped, too. In fact, as I looked about my room, the whole little place seemed so… drab, I guess, compared to the Goblin King, who was lounging on my bed. The finery he'd worn earlier was gone, replaced by just a gray pair of tights – which he insisted on callingeither_leggings_ or _breeches _(who is he trying to kid?) – a poet shirt, medallion, gloves (as always – sheesh, why can't he let me see his hands?) and…

"Oh, would you please keep your hooker-boots off my bedspread?" I said, putting my bag down and motioning to his feet.

He'd been just about to sniff another perfume sample, and looked up startled. "My _what_?"

"Your hooker-boots. They're dirty."

He sat up and looked stunned and confused. "Did you just call _these_," he motioned to his black shiny boots, "_Hooker_ boots? _Dirty_ hooker boots?"

I wanted to laugh hysterically at his face, but held my calm. "You heard me. Those knock-offs of the footwear I see on the hookers in the raunchy part of down-town. No one else wears shoes like that. Not, you know, in this century. And I've seen you stomp around the Underground. You wear them everywhere, practically. They're filthy. I don't want all that dirt and goblin crap on my bed!"

He narrowed his eyes at me and asked in a deadly whisper, "Is your family home?"

"No, why?"

He was on his feet in a blink, "THESE ARE NOT DIRTY HOOKER-BOOTS!" he roared.

I flew backwards and hit my bookshelf. One of my Harry Potter books toppled down and clobbered me good, making me stumble and sway. The room started spinning and I could see spots. I think I wimpered.

Jareth suddenly looked mortified. "Wren!" he gasped, quickly grabbing me and holding me while my vision cleared, "Wren, dearling, oh – what have I done? Are you alright?"

"Um," I closed my eyes for a moment, "Yeah, I'm good. Just a little brain joggled, that's all."

He shook his head worriedly, "That gibberish... oh, you need to sit down…"

I frowned at him, "I'm not talking in gibberish. That book joggled me around, but I'm fine…"

"There you go with that gibberish again," he withdrew a crystal from… somewhere (seriously, where does he hide those things? I mean, it's not like he has pockets in those tights) and changed it into a wet cool cloth, which he placed on my head while sitting me down on the bed.

I pushed him away, "Okay, you are being a drama queen here – I'm fine!"

He looked skeptical, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Jareth, I'm sure."

"Alright…" the cloth disappeared. "Now, where were we? Oh yes, I remember – you were about to forget why you were so upset with me as I apologize for causing you to hit your head."

"I – what?" I looked at him, "Sorry, buddy, you can't make me forget that easily."

"Oh, is that so?" Jareth leaned close to me, tilted my chin up and kissed me softly…

Heh. He was such a cheater. A way hot cheater, but a cheater all the same. 'Course, it _can_ be fun when you don't play by the rules…

I giggled and he pulled away. "Slick, but that won't work… this time," I said with a smile.

He frowned, "Drat. Why not?"

"Because you don't know why I was upset with you."

Jareth narrowed his eyes, "Were you notmad for me coming and waltzing you around for awhile, were you?"

"Nope."

"Then… why in heaven's name were you upset with me?" he looked positively boggled. I took a moment to giggle at how he looked, sitting on my bed. Way out of place… but then again, he really looked out of place in my _life_. Too bad I was crazy about him. If I weren't, I'd have to redecorate him to match the green leafy and flowery motif of my room – while such an undertaking would be mostly futile in changing him in anyway, it would at least be hysterically funny to try.

Eh, but why mess with his mind more than needed? I stressed him enough as it was. Hee.

I took his face in both of my hands and pulled him close, "You kissed me, and then disappeared, laughing in my ears, when I wasn't ready for you to leave. That wasn't-"

"If _you_ say 'fair', then _I_ will, as you say, 'blow a gasket'."

"It wasn't _nice_, mister hooker-boots," I kissed him lightly and smiled, "But I'll let you off the hook for now."

He grinned at me, giving me shivers (yeah, problem with that, he KNOWS it makes me shiver… I swear it totally feeds his ego. That's _all_ he needs, a bigger ego.). "Well then," he turned his attention to my knee, and began tracing small circles on it, "All is well. But… my my, whatever shall we do while your family is away?"

I never take his advances seriously. He knows I won't give into them, and I know him well enough to know that he only does them to harass me – which, over the last few months, had become his favorite hobby. Still, to play the game, I frowned and removed his hand, "Down, boy. You really ought to get back to your kingdom…"

He pouted, seductively, "You always ruin my fun, Wren."

"Oh, I'm _so_ sorry, GK, but you _do_ have to get back, and I have homework online. Care to help me write a four-hundred word description of an Informational System I've encountered recently?"

He sighed and stood up, "No, I think not." He pulled a crystal, again from seemingly nowhere. "I shall most surely have a goblin rebellion on my hands when I get back, anyway. I willleave you to your…" he made a slightly disgusted noise, "_homework_."

I smiled at him. "Suit yourself,"

"Oh, and Wren?"

"Huh?"

He struck a pose, sticking out a boot in my direction, cocking his head, one hand on his hip, and raising an eyebrow. "These arenot hooker-boots." And, with a puff of glitter, he was gone.

I laughed and headed over to my computer.

"Whatever you say… mister I-wear-tights-and-lipstick-too. Friggen dirty hooker-boots."

Another book, much smaller than the one that had clobbered me earlier, flew across the room and whacked me in the back of the head.

"OUCH! Urgh… JERK FACED GOBLIN KING!"

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**A/N: hee… okay, I think this chapter is much better with Jareth… but, as I said, there is a reason for his behavior back in the Labyrinth… and sorry about skipping around. I'll be working on part-two of 'how it all started' for the next chapter. Promise!**

**Oh, and people, c'mon! Review! I can see all the hits I'm getting, and so few reviews. JERKS! (kidding… I say that often) Seriously, though, it's only polite. Criticism welcomed. Flame, and I sic Jareth on you.**


	4. Part Two of How it All Started

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, except for the stuff that never showed up in the film, like the plot and my characters, etc. Oh, how nice it would be to own Jareth… **

**And, in regards to the song Wren sings in here… the lyrics are her own, that she's rewritten to a good song with smutty lyrics… oh, well, just read on. It's all pretty self-explanatory – but the song isn't hers, just the particular lyrics she sings.**

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****Dumpster Queen – Well, they would be dirty, wouldn't they? Look at where all he goes! There could be B.O.E.S. (bog of eternal stench) on them! Hee…**

**Yami Moon – We should form a club… or a forum… for twenty-somethings who are seeing it for the first time… or something… and, yes, he is so very hot. Hottius Maximus. **

**APickleNamedFrizz – why, I'm glad you liked it!**

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And now, back to what happened in the Labyrinth…** **

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**I swear, he seemed really angry when I just walked away from him… I couldn't figure out _what_ his problem was. Perhaps it was because I called him a dummy… I dunno. Well, he didn't _fade away_… nope. The spoiled brat disappeared in an angry explosion of glitter. 

I stomped my way down the hill, in a pair of flip-flops no less, and made my way to the gate. Part of me felt a little frightened as I approached the huge wall, but I at least had some kind of idea as to what I was doing. What kind of Labyrinth junky would I be if I didn't?

I paused for just a moment. How in the heck did they make a movie from all this? Eh, there would be time to wonder on that later. I went back to my stomp.

I made it to the wall quicker than I expected I would, especially in my flip-flops. Everything seemed brown and dusty. There was a square pool over to my far right, but mostly rocks and slightly dry looking plants. I looked around, hoping to see the door – no such luck – or Hoggle… but I didn't expect to necessarily see him there. I mean, it wouldn't be exactly the same, would it? Perhaps he had a new job now…

I sighed, "Fine… he would make this more difficult… heck, what am I saying? That's what he does best! Sheesh…" I plodded over to a rock and sat down on it, staring intently at the wall.

I don't know how many times I blinked at the wall, or how much time I'd lost in doing so, but eventually I became aware that I was staring at a large gate. "Oh!" I said, standing up. "Okay… fine then." I approached the gate, but it didn't open on its own. My luck, right? Well, I suppose I should have been happy that it at least had handles that I could use. It easily could not have had them at all, and then where would I be?

Blowing out a breath, I took hold of a handle and pulled.

Nothing. It didn't budge.

I frowned. "Okay, lets try this another way…" I'm strong. I may not be a body-builder or anything, but I know how to put my weight into something and pull. I took hold of the handle, placed my feet up on the other side of the gate, and pulled as hard as I could. It slid open almost a foot's worth, and then it stuck solid.

The movement, which had been very quick, startled me and I plopped to the ground with a kind of squeak. I got back to my feet and tried again, but unfortunately, it wouldn't move at all… perhaps Hoggle had gotten a new job and Jareth hadn't gotten anyone else to take care of the gate. I mean, if felt like it had rusted badly, or something, even though I couldn't readily see hinges on it. Whatever.

At least it was open… right? Yeah… less than a foot to squeeze through. And I ain't small. This was going to be interesting.

I double checked that it wouldn't move at all before trying to squeeze through the gate. It wouldn't do to have it cut me in half, would it? Once I was reassured of it's stuck-ness, I attempted to get my leg through. Well, that worked good. Then I put my arm in, and worked in my hip and shoulder – luckily, I'm slim in the hips (man, that's the first time _that _feature, or lack thereof, has been useful). Hmm, I could do this. Probably…

I started to hum, as I usually do when… well, I do it a lot. But, as my progress through the gate slowed, I started muttering the lyrics to the song I was humming. I barely noticed.

"_I met this real nice guy… and he's here by my side, there's nothing that I can hide… he knows me better than anybody else… I cannot help but feel, there is nothing I can conceal… my soul is his to steal_…" and that's when it happened.

I got stuck, for good.

And, I was exactly half way through. Standing, at least, on my feet, one on each side of the gate. One arm on each side, one leg, the whole thing, I was stuck exactly half way through.

"Well, it seems that my Labyrinth is proving harder than you thought, is it not?" drawled a voice from the inside of the gate. I gasped and looked up, seeing Jareth leaning against the opposite wall, a very mean looking smirk on his face.

Rule number one with me, don't ever get on my bad side when I'm already angry… or stuck in something.

"Oh stuff it, jerk face!" I yelled, through gritted teeth. "You know, I haven't even started you're pitiful Labyrinth… urgh… you're such a JERK!"

He looked surprised by my outburst. Standing up straight and taking a few steps in my direction, he looked shocked at me. "A jerk? Whatever do you mean?"

I glared at him, "You give me thirteen hours to do this piece of crap game, I agree, and you won't even let me START! Are you doing this to punish me for not letting you finish your 'thirteen-hours' speech?"

At first, he seemed to be expecting me to say something else, but then he realized I had finished and then he grinned at me. "I amnot the one holding you back, my dear. What did you sayyour name again?"

My mouth fell open. He'd known Sarah's name, hadn't he? Why didn't he know mine? And, hadn't he known it before? I couldn't remember now… Was I … not as important?

"Wren," I said. "It's Wren."

"Hmm," he said, seeming to mull over the name in his head. "Well, _Wren_, I am not the one who hasspent most of my life eating sweets…"

Oh, no, he didn't just say _that _to me.

I looked right at him, my eye twitched, and I just… screamed. Well, I don't scream well, so it was more like a yell and scream combo. This really seemed to shock him, and he took a step back. When I finished, my voice choked and I noticed that I was starting to cry.

"I barely eat sweets anymore! I CAN'T believe you just said that to me! How…" I yelled in frustration again, "You PIG! I've actually _lost_ weight! I'm flexible! I lift weights and run! You… you biased PIG! Oh, you opened the gates wide for all the _skinny_ girls, didn't you? Oh, then comes along a girl who's big, who actually _wants _to be here, and is running this crap game for the right to _stay_, and you won't even open up your friggin gates to let her in! JERK, JERK, JERK!"

I've never been one for swearing, so… I kinda didn't know what else to call him.

Jareth's face had gone completely blank, and he'd backed up to the wall. He wasn't angry or confused or struck… but before I could blink, he'd produced a crystal from somewhere and dropped it. It shattered and vanished, as did he, and with a groan as though it really didn't want to do it, the gate opened up wider, and I plopped through. The gates closed behind me, and I was left alone in the Labyrinth, finally inside, and ready to run.

I got to my feet and took off in the direction I'd seen Sarah go in the film… not that I was counting on that to be accurate, but it was all I had and – so far, at least – it seemed to be working. I just ran…

It was a while before I ran out of breath, amazingly. Usually, I get winded pretty fast while running. But, as I ran, I gently ran my hand over the wall on my right, waiting to find the opening that couldn't be easily seen. Twice, I freaked over the lichen with eyes… my hands touched them, and… well, just _eww_. Way disgusting.

At last I found it. I didn't see a worm there – I mean, I kinda figured that was just a thing from the film, to make it seem like Sarah was just really trusting. But, anyhow, I took the _other_ way – the way that Sarah didn't take. I paused for just a moment, considering my actions. Should I go this way? On one end of things, it may lead, just like the worm (that's not there) in the movie said, right to the castle, but on the other end of things, I don't know what to expect from it. I know what I'd find on the other way.

"Hmm… okay, why not have a bit of adventure?" I said, and went the unknown way.

It did seem to curve around, more in the direction I needed to go, but I began to wonder if I'd chosen the right way.

I paused. "Well, I've been doing pretty good here… not being cocky, just saying I haven't run into anything too horrible… that's either really good, or really bad. I'm going to be optimistic and assume that's a good thing…"

The silence weighed in on me. Feeling suddenly lonely, I glanced around, almost hoping to see the horrible Goblin King. No, he wasn't there. And… where was I? Now, that was the question. What if this path was _way_ wrong? Um… I glanced around. I totally needed to see where I was in comparison to the rest of the Labyrinth. There, to my left, was a large rock. That' would work.

I climbed up on top of the rock, which came up to about my waist when I stood beside it, and scrabbled up with some empty brick holes to peek over the wall.

I couldn't see much, but I could see the top of the Castle… and I was shocked. It was a heck of a lot closer than I expected it to be.

"Awesome!" I said, aloud, "I'm way closer than I thought! I'm doing great! I… I guess if you know what you're doing, things aren't that hard after all – ahh!" The bricks I was leaning on gave way, completely.

I shrieked as the wall crumbled and I fell forward into the other side of the wall. I grabbed onto part of the wall that was still solid, managing to make sure my feet were going down, rather than my head, but the force of my self simply falling jerked me roughly and I lost my grip.

I landed on my feet, heaved a sigh of relief that I hadn't broken my neck, watched as a heavy piece of wall landed beside me, and shrieked as the ground completely gave way underneath me.

A trap door, an Oubliette. I landed with a thud, felt something go wrong with my leg, and passed out in the darkness as the trap door closed above me.

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I woke up sometime later, I could only guess at how long I'd been out, and tried to blink. I actually think I had been awake for much longer, but had only just realized that I was in the dark. 

My leg felt like it was on fire, and I honestly was too scared to touch it and see if it was broken or what. I just lay there, staring up at nothing. I was frightened, and had a very spastic moment where I had to sit up and feel for a wall of some kind, but my leg started burning and throbbing, so I laid back down and tried not to move.

And without warning, I began to cry.

I was all alone in an Oubliette, and no one would rescue me. There was no Hoggle for me, I was all alone. To keep my fears from running wild, I began to try and resume the song I'd been singing earlier.

I sniffed, "_I met this real nice guy… and he's here by my side, there's nothing that I can hide… he knows me better than anybody else…_" my voice seemed to only come out in choked sobs, but I still kept trying to sing as best as I could, from my place on the ground. "_I cannot help but feel, there is nothing I can conceal… my soul is his to steal… we'll go wherever we want to… yeah…_

"_Baby, I'm taken, taken with you,_

'_cause we always have a good time_

_tremble and shakin', my heart's almost breakin', yeah…_

_feels like I'm fallin', all over again_

_Yeah you went and made me,_

_Tremble and shakin', without you I'm achin'…_

_I'm taken with you…"_

I broke off, crying once more, unable to make myself sing. How could things have gone so badly, so soon? I mean, Sarah didn't run into any real trouble until she met the Fireys, right? Maybe that was my problem… I kept comparing this to the film. That film was probably too far from the truth…

There was a flicker to my left. I started at it.

"Whatever are you doing, making so much noise?" came a withered sounding voice.

"AH!" I shouted, looking around in the blackness and jumping quite a bit – which only made me cry out from my leg, "OW! Ah - who's there!"

"Someone who hasbeen here longer than you," came the voice, "Now, what is the meaning ofall this noise?"

I blinked, I still couldn't see. "Who are you?"

"Will yousimply answer my question?"

I sniffed, wiping the tears away from my eyes, trying to see better in the dark, "I was falling, then singing, and, well, now crying."

"Crying! Ha!" the voice laughed, "That hard, huh?"

"You mean, the Labyrinth?"

"Yes."

I shook my head, even if the voice couldn't see me, "Well, yes, but that's not why I'm upset. Not entirely"

"Then… why?" the voice whispered, true curiosity echoing off the Oubliette walls.

I sniffed, feeling more tears coming. "You wouldn't understand."

There was a snort, "Try me. We are, after all, in an Oubliette. Might as well tell me what isgoing on – what else have you got to do?"

More tears fell down my face. "Okay, fine… it's everything. Back home, I was just out shopping, and some man called me fat. No reason, just decided to do it."

"And that is why you arecrying, now?"

"Gosh, no – will you let me finish?" I growled. When it didn't say anything, I continued, "It just upsets me, I know I'm fat, but I'm trying to get healthy… and this guy just called me fat. When I got home, things got worse… and I couldn't take it anymore. I wished myself here, hoping to find a peaceful place away from being judged by how much I weigh and… Jareth, the Goblin King, shows up, wisks me off here… and then, HE calls me fat, too! I admit that it's fair for me to run the Labyrinth for the right to stay, but… I didn't think he'd be that mean. Have you seen his hair? Cool, yes, but what right does he have to judge me just because I'm a fat girl."

There was a pause, "Your weight is that much of an issue?"

"For me, no. I don't mind it… it's the world that doesn't like me. I'm tired of it, all of it. I want to be… me. Accepted."

"And so… you simply thought you could come here, and be accepted? By who – the Bog of Eternal Stench? Fireys? Or by the Goblin King?"

I went red, "I don't really know. I supposed I was hoping he'd accept me… I guess I was way off there."

There was a big silence, and after a while, I began to wonder whether I'd actually heard the voice, or imagined it. But then it spoke again, and I knew I wasn't crazy.

"Why do you want _his_ acceptance? What loyalties do you have to _him_? Why does he even matter to you?Is he not your villain here?"

I raised an eyebrow, "To Jareth? Are you kidding me? No loyalties at all… he just fascinates me – and who said he's the villain? I mean, he runs the Labyrinth… and he may be a jerk, and you might say he's a protagonist, but he's not an evil villain. I never thought he was. To me, he was always Jareth, hottie extraordinaire… heh, not that you needed to know that," I coughed, "Anyway, long story short, I was just trying to check and see where I was in proximity to the castle, and then I'm in here, my leg broken-"

"It looked like you were going to cheat,"

"-and no hope of… wait, what did you say?" I sat up, my leg throbbing wildly, but I swallowed down the pain. "How could you see what I was doing, from down here? There's… heck, there's _nothing_ to see down here!"

There was a clattering sound, something hit my leg (making my wince and lay back down), and something else sounded like it broke, and suddenly the Oubliette was filled with the same soft sparkly light my bedroom had had, when Jareth had shown up.

And speaking of the jerk himself…

"Nothing?" There he sat, leaning lazily against the opposite wall as me, his legs cocked and hands on his knees. "Nothing? Tra la la?"

I gulped. "Way not cool, GK."

He raised eyebrows at me, "GK?"

I sighed and laid flat again, "Goblin King, GK. I wasn't trying to cheat. I was worried. I'm paranoid, okay?"

He sighed, "You can sit up, you know."

I snorted, "Shows what you know, jerk, my leg broke from the fall in here, and it feels like it's on fire when I move."

He laughed a little – his voice no longer had the malice it did before, but it seemed like he was still trying to be haughty. "Shows what _you_ know," he mocked, "I mended your leg just before the lights went on."

"Huh?" I sat up, my leg feeling fine. I pulled it up to me, examining it, moving it about. It seemed to work fine, and felt better than ever. With a smile, I scooted myself back to lean against the wall, facing him. "Thank you."

"Eh – excuse me?" he asked sharply, looking shocked.

I frowned at him, "I said thank you, as in 'thank you for fixing my leg'. You didn't have to, but it was really nice. I appreciate it. What, are you going deaf?"

He blinked at me. "You have an annoying habit of giving a compliment and following it with an insult. For your information, I was simply expecting the insult, not the compliment, first."

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Okay then." I stood up and looked around the room. "Thank you for the light, too – no insult for that one." I spotted what I was looking for, a board. It was about the right size for a door… well, for a normal person. I'd probably have to squeeze through it, but I would manage. I propped it up against the wall.

He stood too, behind me. "No, that was gratitude, not a compliment. I was speaking of the compliment you gave me, not your gratitude, though that was just as shocking. What was it you called me? Hottie extraordinaire?"

I went bright red. "No," I lied, blatantly, "You need your hearing checked…"

He laughed at me, "Is that the true reason why you wished to come here? Because you think I'm a sexy beast?"

I whirled around, "Heavens! If I can't get this door to open – and yes, I know it is a door – we're sure to both suffocate from that enormous ego of yours filling the room! I told you the true reason why I'm here, and whether or not you choose to believe it, I don't really care. But," I began looking at the board again, trying to find a way to make it open as a door, "For goodness sake, whatever you do, don't _ever_ say that phrase again. It's… weird."

I finally reasoned that there was something I needed to open the door, but I couldn't remember what, for the life of me. Jareth was mercifully silent, though I was unable to say why. I could feel him watching me, but at least he wasn't nagging me. Perhaps he was being nice and letting me think, or perhaps I'd shocked him by not agreeing that he was a sexy beast.

But, nothing lasts forever. After a moment, he sighed. "You need one of these to open it," he said in a very lazy tone.

I looked at him, not seeing what he was talking about, "One of what?"

A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, "These," he drew a crystal from nowhere and threw it forcefully at the wall behind me. I screamed and the crystal shattered noisily… but as I looked, no shards fell to the ground, but instead there was a small key.

"Oh," I said, still shaky from the crystal, "That's what I forgot. Thanks…" I grabbed the key and stopped, "Okay, what's with all the breaking of crystals? Why can't you just, you know, roll them around, gracefully?"

His smile disappeared, revealing a very depressed looking face, "Because I feel like it. Now, are you going to use my gift, or be a snoot and throw it away?"

I eyed him closely. Something was bothering him… why would I be a 'snoot' and throw away a gift? And, better yet, why would he think I would do such a thing? I wouldn't pretend to know everything about the Goblin King, not by any means, but… something just didn't seem right. If I didn't know any better… I'd say he was acting depressed.

But why?

I opened the door with the key, deciding to wait until there was more room for me to, I don't know, possibly run for my life before confronting him on his issues.

I was flooded by sunlight as I squeezed through the small door – which I was shaking as I did, knowing that he was watching me. When I was fully through, I saw the bright sun around me and it took a moment before I could adjust my eyes. I blinked in time to see Jareth duck elegantly and step gracefully though the door, no squeezing needed. I looked away.

… what? I rubbed my eyes, looking around me. We'd skipped a lot from what I'd been expecting, and were in the garden maze.

Jareth walked past me, slowly, seeming to be unconcerned by our surroundings. When I just stood there, he turned back and looked at me.

"Well?" he said, looking a little irritated, "Are you coming?"

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**A/N: Okay, this is just going and going… I need to break it up somewhere. This seemed as good a stopping place as any. Next chapter should be up sooner than this one was, and I'm hoping it will finish off with the medium sized plot-bunny named "How this all Started". Let's hope. **

**Hm, and BTW, the whole song lyrics should come up in the next chapter. So, don't worry about it. It will be taken care of, and no, this won't turn into a song-fic.**

**Now, come one people, do review. How can I possibly make this any better if no one reviews?**


	5. Part Three of How it All Started

**Disclaimer: I am very sad to say that I do not own Jareth or the Labyrinth, however much I wish that I did. I also do not own the song that is mentioned in this chapterand while I'm not mentioning the artist (to keep it a surprise, for now), I will give credit where it's due, when it comes to it. **

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**Notwritten: I am glad that you think so. Really. I am. **

**DanikaLareyna: Hee… he is persnickety, isn't he? He's so fun to write. And, yes, he is still suffering from a broken heart! Poor GK. But, Wren should be able to help him before long… perhaps by the time she reaches the castle… we'll see. **

**Yami Moon: Yes, we totally should. I'll get on that… when I have some time… Okay, about the game I mentioned? is the link, I believe. It's the first game listed – not fancy, but still fun. I just stumbled on this while looking for Jareth pictures… and it was hard to find again! But, it's good to have, so I'm glad I took the time to find it. More hot Jareth on the way! **

**Babs: Thanks for the suggestion! I know, I'm so bad about scenery… I mean, _I _see it, so it's tough to remember you all can't… I'll try and work in some more descriptions. **

**Sanoru: Aw, thanks! Next chapter is in the works... **

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**A/N: Okay, I am bound and determined to get Wren through the Labyrinth. I _will_ get her through it… we'll see if it takes one or two more updates. I seriously have no control over the lengths of these things… they practically write themselves! Ack **

**Also, I'd like to make a few song recommendations, for anyone who cares. I love to listen to music as I write, so here's what I listen to when writing these chapters: **

** _Lion_ by Rebecca St. James (written for Narnia, works perfect for Jareth) **

** _Uninvited _by Alanis Morriset (sorry, I know I spelled that wrong) **

** _Break me Shake me_ by Savage Garden **

** _My Immortal _by Evanescence **

** _Absolute Beginners_ by David Bowie (actually, anything by Bowie, really) **

** _I Surrender_ by Celine Dion (oh the power!) **

** _Reveal_ also by Celine Dion (Whoo! This one makes me giddy!) **

**When I think of some more, I'll put them up too. They're just so… Jareth-y. **

**And I've stalled enough, haven't I? Okay, on with the chapter. **

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Well, not for the first time since I met him, but I was seriously baffled. Honestly. He was asking if I was coming? Did he mean with him? Why didn't he just, you know… vanish or pop away in an explosion of glitter, like before? I had no words for him, I just stared.

He stood there, head cocked to the side, in front of a large green shrubbery wall, looking annoyed, but still very regal. He frowned at me, "Have you suddenly gone deaf?"

I blinked, "No… just… What do you mean?"

Jareth put his hands on his hips, "Honestly, I didn't think it was that difficult of a question. Are you going to _come_, or have you chosen to _become_ a garden statue?"

I scowled at him, "Okay, I'm not stupid… I just don't understand…"

"Isn't that somehow in the definition of 'stupid'?"

I shook my head and gritted my teeth, "Look," I paused and took a breath, "I am going to go on my way, towards the castle, in order to finish the Labyrinth, as planned. I understand the meaning of the phrase 'are you coming?' I just don't understand why you're the one saying it. _You_ saying that implies that you'll be coming with me… as I go through the Labyrinth… unless I'm mistaken. So… that's what I don't understand."

He raised an eyebrow, "You don't understand if you are _mistaken_?"

"No! Gosh, stop doing that! You know what I mean!" I snapped, my voice going high-pitched without me even making it do so. "Isn't there a rule somewhere that says you aren't allowed help me solve the Labyrinth?"

He looked puzzled, "You truly don't understand, do you?"

"What's that mean? Are you insulting me again?"

He closed his eyes and shook his head, giving me a small laugh, "No, Wren… by the way, what is 'Wren' short for?"

"Nothing. That's my name. Wren. Unlike most people, I wasn't given a grand name that I think is so old-lady-ish it has to be shortened. I'm stuck with Wren."

"Oh."

"Just 'oh'?"

"Yes, now stop interrupting me," he turned his head up and looked down at me, "As I was saying, you truly don't understand the nature of this Labyrinth. The Aboveground, it seems, has become terribly lax in explaining the differences between a _labyrinth_ and a _maze_. A labyrinth is a path, not a place to get lost in. It's a distance to travel with obstacles, whereas a maze is several paths, most which will lead you to dead ends.

"_This_ labyrinth," he held up his hands, motioning to everything around us, "Is what you make of it. Really, if you want it to become a maze, it will be one. Most people don't understand that this place is what you make it to be, or perhaps what you need. You want it to be an evil trap, then it will become one. You seek adventure and wish to be a hero; you'll have someone to rescue and obstacles to overcome. My Labyrinth is a path, but a personal one that each individual needs to take."

Whoa. The movie never said that, for sure. I heard him, and then began to wonder about several things all at once…

"Okay, so let me get this straight…" I paced a little, "If I had a terrible problem with judging people based on their looks, I would have been given an ugly helper, wouldn't I?"

"Yes."

That made sense. Sarah had been given Hoggle… he was ugly and traitorous… but Sarah had cared about him anyway, and had learned to forgive him for his mistakes. "And if I was always looking for the perfect fairy tale, you would show me that life isn't fair."

"Correct."

I nodded, "Okay, I get it. And you would play the part of the evil king if I needed it, wouldn't you?"

He stiffened, "Yes."

"But I know life isn't fair, looks don't really matter to me, and I know better than to think you're evil. So… what's my deal?"

His face went blank again, "That, I cannot tell you. So, I'll ask you again, are you coming?"

I squinted at him, still thinking on what it was that I particularly needed in the Labyrinth. It still was the Labyrinth, and nothing was what it seemed…

He didn't know. My face lit, as the thought hit me. He didn't know what I needed, that's why he was sticking around and also why he'd tried to trick me into telling him why I'd wished myself away. He really couldn't tell me, because he didn't fully know.

But… wait. Maybe I knew. So far… he was all I'd really encountered. All my other problems had come from my weight. Men and my weight – that's what it all boiled down to. Did I need his acceptance, in some way? Could be. For now, I'd assume it had something to do with my weight and my insecurities.

I forced a smile, "Yeah, I am."

* * *

"Da-da, da-dum da-dum… da-da, da-dum da-dum… da-da, da-dum da-dum…"

The silence that sat between us was driving me crazy. So, as I do it often, I started to hum. I wasn't comfortable singing around him (I mean, would anyone? I'd seen Magic Dance, and knew he could sing way better than I could. I wasn't stupid).

But, my humming, the same song again – it had since stuck itself in my head – seemed to stir him. We had been walking through the hedge… well, I wanted to call it a maze, but it really wasn't. It was almost like a garden path, then. Well, it was tall walls of green bushes and leaves, a few flowers here and there, and now and then we'd pass over cobblestones or pass a statue. As we walked, I noticed that he'd look over at me as while humming (I guess you couldn't call it humming, as I was saying things, but they were just, you know, dum-dums and das and such).

"Whatever are you singing?" he asked at length, looking vaguely interested.

I turned to him, doe eyed, "Nothing." I said quickly and began walking ahead.

"Don't you want me to know what the song is?"

I swallowed, "It's not that…"

A hand on my shoulder caused me to turn around. He was stooped down a little, looking me directly in the face, "Are you afraid I won't like it? I do appreciate music, you know."

His mismatched eyes burrowed deeply into me… I swallowed, even though my mouth had gone dry. "I think you'd mock me relentlessly."

He looked shocked. He drew back and put a hand on his chest, "Heavens, Wren, don't you trust me? I adore music!"

"Yeah, I kinda know that much…"

"Besides," he reasoned, "You sang most of it down in the Oubliette. Why fear singing the words?"

"No… see, I don't sing the lyrics."

He raised an eyebrow at me, "But I heard you."

"But those weren't the lyrics," I turned away and started walking farther ahead of him (we were starting to get to a few more walls made of brick and stone, as opposed to shrubbery). "I don't like the lyrics to the song, just the music. It's fabulous, but the lyrics aren't that great."

He nodded as he came up beside me and started walking, "They're too… sappy?"

I laughed – something about the way he said sappy made me want to giggle, "No. They're not sappy, they're… skanky."

"Skanky? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that term…"

I looked at him, still shocked that we were having a civil conversation – and somehow suspecting that any minute now he was going to do… something. I couldn't figure out what, yet. "Skanky… um, provocative and of a subject matter that I don't necessarily approve of. Skanky."

A mischievous smile lit his face, "You refuse to sing them for me, then?"

I looked at him a funny look. Huh? He wanted me to sing to him? _Me _sing to _him_? Not likely.

"That's a huge no."

He stopped and grinned wickedly, "Well, then I'll have to go find them."

"Find what, the real lyrics?" I snorted, "Yeah, right. Good luck with that."

"You don't believe I can find you're dirty lyrics?"

I rounded on him, "First off, they aren't mine they're – someone else's. Secondly, no, I don't think you can find them."

"But you don't deny that they are _dirty_."

My eyes bulged at him, and – for some reason I didn't understand – my face went bright red, "That's why I made up my own lyrics for the song! I don't like the original ones!"

Jareth grinned, showing me his somewhat pointed teeth. "I do love a challenge. But, why not make it… more interesting? How about, if you can make it to the junkyard before I find them, then I'll go on and never ask you about them again. And, if I find them first… then you have to sing them. Sound like some fun?"

NO! "No – don't you dare!"

His grin widened, "Oh, I would. Now, if you'd excuse me, I have some research to do…"

"JARETH!" I lunged at him, but was too late. He'd already disappeared with a small puff of sparkly glitter. I inhaled some of it, and coughed a lot.

But then I was running again. I _had _to get to the junkyard before he did. If he read the true lyrics to that song, I'd never live it down!

* * *

I panicked horribly for a few moments after he'd puffed away, seeing as how I no longer had a guide, but then I remembered what he'd told me about the Labyrinth being a path, and relaxed. Unfortunately, it wasn't an easy path. I guess if it wasn't playing a maze, then the Labyrinth walls all kinda came together and made the journey that much longer. Every piece was now apart of the path – had it been a maze, I bet there would be parts that I would bypass on the way.

And I was running out of breath quicker than before. I was panicked… and slightly thrilled. I really didn't want him to have those lyrics… if I beat the Labyrinth (how I was supposed to do that, I wasn't sure now, when I tried to consider the whole stupid 'path' crap) then I might be spending a lot of time with the Goblin King (did that frighten me or scare me? I wasn't sure), and he'd never let me forget it. If he found those lyrics, I would very well be too embarrassed to stay, even if I won.

Okay, I confess, I was excited. This was slightly on the fun side.

It hadn't been too long before I had reached the end of the hedge area, thingy. I came to two doors, each with a knocker on it. Without thinking much about anything, I knocked the one with the ring in it's mouth, and promptly pushed open the door and into a very, um, _glittery_ forest. I could tell that Jareth had had some say in this part, with all the sparkles.

It was getting dark, now, and things were slightly harder to see… but perhaps it was only the cover of the trees. Either way, I had a long way to go to make it to the junkyard and not enough time. I just kept going… I jumped over a low branch and dashed around a tree… realizing that the three looked just like one I'd already passed. I stopped, looked around, and groaned.

I had no idea where I was or what I was doing. I was so screwed. I don't know how he'd do it, but I know he'd find the song, and know the lyrics, and mock me for it.

I blinked in the dim light. Before me was – a wall. Weird. I didn't know where it had come from… but at least I hadn't run into it.

I looked up the wall, "How in the world am I supposed to get up there?" I said to myself.

There was a snort, "You might just try the stairs."

I whirled. Jareth was behind me, smiling and pointing to my left. There, I saw, about thirty feet away, an angular stone stair way that led to the top of the wall. Man, I felt dumb. But, at the moment, something else horrible had occurred to me.

I blanched, "You found them?"

He shook his head, "No, not yet. Don't worry, I _will_ find them. I merely came because while I am searching, you are alone, and this is still a dangerous place…"

I gave him a wicked smile, partly to hid the blush I couldn't fight, "Gee, Jareth, I didn't know you cared so much."

Jareth looked at me sharply, "I never said I did!" he snapped, instantly doing that thing like Bilbo on the Lord of the Rings film, where one moment he's nice and the next he's evil looking. Okay, Jareth didn't look evil, but his face had instantly gone from playful to sharp and upset.

It wasn't the first time he'd done it, and I had had enough.

I frowned and stalked over to him. "Okay that's it, Mr. Magic Pants. What the heck is your problem? What did I ever do to upset you so horribly that you have to treat me like a piece of crap any time I'm nice to you?"

He bristled, "Aren't I your villain?"

I gritted my teeth, "We've been through this, and you're not, so spill! Stop trying to be the villain and tell me what is wrong!"

"NO!" he roared, getting his face really close to mine (dude, I could see the lines in his face… very distinguished… urgh, I'm hopeless), "This isn't about me, you wretched little girl! You are here for a wish…"

I balled my fists at my side, "Call me little again, and I swear I'll smack you! And don't call me wretched! You are right, this isn't about you, but your emotional constipation is causing problems for the both of us! WHY DO YOU RESENT ME BEING HERE!"

He looked positively murderous. His face was super close to mine, but he didn't say anything. I waited, meeting his gaze head on… I knew how to handle the spoiled child. After a few seconds of holding his blazing gaze, I softened mine and gave him a pleading look. He deflated and turned away from me.

"Tell me, Jareth," I said softly, "You've been nothing but angry with me since I came… and I've haven't done anything bad, that I know of. What the heck could have hurt you so terribly?"

He shook his head, his spiky hair flying around him, "It's not for you to be troubled with…" he said quietly.

Hmm. I wasn't born yesterday, and I totally had an idea as to what was wrong. I decided to take a chance. "Is this because of Sarah? Did she… hurt you?"

Jareth whirled on me, fresh anger in his eyes, "Don't mention her."

"Don't protect her name like a lucky charm – if she hurt you, be angry!"

There was a growl in his throat, "You know nothing of this, Wren, so stay out of it. Don't mention her again."

I smiled grimly, "I don't think so! Look, you're taking you're anger and frustration on people like me-"

Something hard hit me in the face, and the glittery forest vanished as I blacked out.

And wait just a second… was that a peach taste in my mouth?

* * *

**A/N: Okay, there's the next chapter... I swear I _wanted_ to get Wren through, but Jareth is just so fiesty... Well, the next chapter, we'll all try again. In the meantime, please review. **


	6. Official Illusions and Wren's Revenge

**Disclaimer: You know by now that I so wish I could own Jareth, but I don't. Pity me, don't sue me. Deal? Good. Now, on we go…**

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**DanikaLareyna: Working on it, miss bossy! No, he didn't hit her, as in with a fist or hand… no, not Jareth. He was angry, and he… well, I'll explain that when I get back to it. **

**Sanoru: Honestly, I didn't intend to make it a cliffie. So sorry about that. I needed a stopping point, as the chapter was getting WAY too long, and that was the best I could do. But I think an update on how it all started should be up soon, so don't worry! **

**Robbie: Didn't Jareth explain this? Hmm… yes, he is off – he's heartbroken and suffering from emotional issues. The Labyrinth is what you make it – Wren doesn't need the same things that Sarah did, so while the places are similar, her obstacles don't come from kooky characters and adventures… Wren is 22-ish (I haven't decided specifically on her age), so her problems come from adult things, like Men. That's why he's there – Wren hasn't made him the villain, like Sarah did. Think about it – Sarah had expectations of what she'd come across in the Labyrinth, right? So does Wren – having seen the movie, don't you think her trek would be similar? **

**Anij: Okay, you are, like, one of the best reviewers. ahem Yes, he does. Yes, they do. Yeah, I know. Lol! And, sorry, but flip-flops just rule. They're quick and easy. **

**And, I must speak up in defense of Wren against Mary Sue allegations. Wren is not a Mary Sue. She's overweight, insecure, imperfect as they come, and rather flawed all the way around. She shoots her mouth off and often bites off more than she can chew, plus she has the inability to be neat, and is usually messy with her room or desk. She's not perfect with one tragic flaw, per definition of a Mary Sue. Sheesh… I think this chapter will go on about some more of Wren's characteristics, so please don't jump to MarySue-conclusions. I'll stop ranting now. Sorry for that interlude. **

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**Hmm, do I have any new tunes for you all? Yes! **

**_Stargate_ by Intuition (okay, these guys are little known, but they ROCK! Go listen to their samples on Amazon dot com, okay?) **

**_Danger_ also by Intuition (these two songs are on the same CD… so awesome and mystical…) **

**_Victory original or Mike Batt Mix_ by Bond (I highly recommend this. This is the music Wren hears, and it's just… way cool. I love Bond, being a violinist myself – so awesome) **

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**Um, how about a brief break from the Labyrinth? Back to the present, for now… I'll finish how it all started later… **

**BTW, I believe this chapter has a brief reference to a ring in it… when I finish how it all started, you'll know what ring that is, and it will be explained. **

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Man, was it just me, or are the Finance meetings getting worse every time? I looked at my co-worker, and fairly good friend, Allie, who was seated next to me, and wondered if she was as bored as I was.

She was dozing, her head bobbing.

"Allie," I whispered, "Wake up,"

She opened her eyes and shot her head up, "I'm awake," she said, her words slurred, clearly showing she hadn't been, "I was just resting my eyes…"

I smiled at her, "Sure, and that head bobbing was just nodding to all that Tyler was saying, right?"

She gave me a meek smile, "Exactly. What has he been saying, anyway?"

I snorted. Tyler, the head of our finance department, was known for being long-winded at our quarterly meetings, and this was no exception. Currently, he was ranting on about getting back to the basics – whatever that meant. Being on a specialty team, these meetings rarely applied to Allie and the rest of my coworkers, but they still invited us out of respect. Basically, we had to sit through them, and try not to fall asleep.

"The question isn't what he's said, but what he _hasn't _said. Whatever – nothing important."

Allie nodded, "Well, nudge me if he looks this way, okay?"

"Sure thing." I giggled as she folded one arm and held the bridge of her nose with the other, making it look like she had a headache, and really was just closing her eyes. I wished I could do the same, but I knew that with my luck, Tyler would catch me. Besides, she really did look tired. I would do what I could to cover for her, and let her rest.

I leaned forward on the table Allie and I were sitting at (we'd arrived early enough that we had gotten seats around the rooms great, rectangular table. For those who weren't as early as me and my teammates, there were chairs and smaller tables around the walls of the room, with loads of walking space, too), doing what I could to block her from Tyler's view. Lisa, my manager, was watching me – she knew Allie was tired, and probably guessed that I was covering. Luckily, Lisa didn't really care. She was as bored as the rest of my team.

Well, I began to pretend to take notes on what Tyler was saying. Periodically, I'd lean over to Allie and nod my head, as though she'd just whispered something to me. Strangely, this seemed to be working. Tyler looked flattered that I was taking notes…

Yeah, if only he knew I was actually doodling pictures of Jareth.

I couldn't help it! He was so fascinating! Jareth, I mean – not Tyler. Tyler could so take lessons from Jareth on, well, everything. Tyler was a wimpy kind of man. He was tall enough, but had a baby face that he tried to hide with a beard, and no real muscle definition… Jareth has a young face, but accentuates it with his wild hair, and he's lean but you can so see he's strong. I guess it just radiates from him. And his clothes. For a moment I imagined Tyler – stuffy and work obsessed Tyler – with hair like Jareth, and wearing a glittery cape…

I had to suppress a horrid giggle.

And then I decided to doodle that.

I drew Tyler with spiky hair and a cape, pointing a finger at us all, and yelling, "Back to Basics!" This made me giggle more.

Ah, I missed Jareth. He'd been busy with some Underground issues, and I hadn't seen him in several days. I kind of had the feeling he was thinking about me – without warning, I'd get these horribly giggly moments that I liked to think meant he was thinking of me – but I also knew he was busy, and would come see me when he could. I'd been too busy to go visit him, since, you know, I couldn't exactly reorder time to make time for it. It was easier for him to visit me.

The finance meeting was being held in a very office-y room. It wasn't in my usual office building, but in a fancier one the company had recently purchased. This building, while allegedly nicer than ours, was also… stuffier. Our conference rooms weren't so formal looking. They had more color in them, so they seemed warmer. This room was cool neutral colors with high-tech video equipment, and it seemed almost… sterile. Very yucky, if you asked me. Plus, we all had to carpool to get here. The room wasn't overly packed with people, but there was enough to make the room fairly warm, and I felt like such a gold fish – this room had windows so people walking by could see us…

Bored with my doodles, I decided to count the people walking by the room. I looked up at the window – and jumped in my seat.

Lisa looked at me, sharply, and even Allie jumped from her doze. Quickly, I rubbed my back, pretending to have gotten a pinched nerve or something, and gave them both an apologetic smile, before I looked back at the windows.

Standing outside of them, in the hallway, was Jareth; big hair, cape, glitter, the whole shebang.

Oh no. What was he up to?

He was looking in at me, smiling his wicked smile. Somewhat frantically, I looked around to see who else had noticed that there was a very flamboyant Goblin King standing outside our conference room. Apparently, no one noticed him. My heart started racing… I looked back at him, my eyes feeling like they were going to pop out of my head. He raised a gloved finger and touched it to his lips, indicating that I needed to keep my mouth shut. Was I the only one who could see him there?

"Allie," I whispered in a frantic hush, "Do you see that odd fellow standing outside the window there?"

Allie opened her eyes and looked, then turned back to me, "I must have missed him – did he just walk by?"

I swallowed hard, "You don't see anything odd there?"

She frowned, "No… Wren, is something wrong?"

I shook my head, "No, I'm… I guess I'm fine. This meeting is just making me hallucinate."

She laughed and went back to looking like she had a headache. I looked at Jareth, asking him a silent question. He waggled his high eyebrows at me in answer. Fearful of what the heck he was up to, I gripped my pen tighter. I was the only one who could see him there – some of his special magic – and I was afraid. Very afraid.

He stepped right through the glass and entered the conference room. As he did, an odd salsa-y song filled the room – no one seemed to notice the music or the Goblin King. I blanched.

He walked to the open space, where there weren't any tables or people sitting or standing. When the song took on a rhythm, he started to dance.

I clamped my hand over my mouth to keep myself from laughing hysterically. I really wanted to… I mean, the Goblin King was doing a samba, or something, to music that only I could hear in my finance division meeting, and no one could see him doing it but me. And, at the same time, I was trying to listen to whatever nonsense Tyler was saying.

Jareth swayed to his left a few steps, cha-cha-ed a little to the beat, all the while keeping a straight and nonplussed face. Then, when the music lightened up a little, he threw his head back and spun around. His eyes met mine, and he waggled his eyebrows at me once more. I looked mortified, I know I did. He twirled out of his cape, revealing a better view of his shiny leather pants and poet shirt, and threw his cape over his head and across the room.

It splatted as it hit the white board, missing Tyler by mere inches.

I snorted with seriously wicked suppressed laughter.

Tyler looked at me, "Did I say something funny, Wren?"

Why does he have to use my first name? It makes me feel so childish.

I blinked, "No, Tyler, not funny ha-ha. I apologize, I was just… um…" Jareth had mamboed his way over to Tyler, and was dancing beside him, "I just think all this is, nice… back to basics. I think it's funny we've never thought of it before."

Tyler gave me a skeptical look, but smiled and went back to his speech. Jareth went on with his dancing.

With an ease that made me extremely jealous, he jumped effortlessly up onto the conference table. Still, no one noticed. Walking like a model on a catwalk, he stalked in his hooker-boots to where I was seated and started dancing right in front of me.

I went bright red, blushing like a maniac. _Had he lost his mind? _

Lisa looked at me, worriedly. She fanned her self while giving me questioning look, silently asking if I was really warm. I tried to look nonchalant, motioning that yes, it was just hot in the room. She nodded, but still looked concerned. Heck, she had every right be concerned. I was acting like a loon.

Jareth turned his backside to me and started swaying from side to side.

"Wren," Allie asked, quietly, "Are you okay? Don't be embarrassed about Tyler pointing out your snort…"

I shook my head, "I'm not, Allie… it's a long story. Is it warm in here, to you?"

She shrugged, "A little, I suppose."

I smiled and tried to pay attention to Tyler. The music finally ended and Jareth sat himself on the table, lying down on it length wise and propping his head up on an arm so as to look at me at eye-level.

He grinned. "Now, you have to admit, this was the most _exciting_ meeting you have ever had, is it not?" he purred, his mismatched eyes shining.

"_Jerk_," I mouthed at him, without speaking.

His grin widened. "Oh, come on, confess. You adored it."

I said, or, rather, _mouthed_ nothing, but couldn't keep a smile from tugging at my lips.

Absently, he looked down at my drawings I'd doodled earlier. He smirked at them. "Only you would draw _that_ man with my hair… such a mockery."

I snatched up my pen and scribbled on the paper, _How come the others can't see you_?

He laughed, "Because I am not actually here!"

I coughed suddenly and looked at him sharply. What did he mean by that?

Jareth smiled innocently, "This is just an illusion I came up with, especially for you, my dear. Knowing that I would be busy for a while, last time I saw you, I slipped a crystal into your bag. I designed it for sometime when you were especially missing me…I fear it is your own fault that you triggered it during this meeting."

My mouth fell open. I grabbed the paper again, _So, you're not really Jareth? Just an illusion?_

He smirked, "Well, I am… but not live. This is, as you might say, magically _prerecorded_. I cannot be here in person to amuse you, so I had to find someway to lighten your day. Oh, would you look at the time? The magic is almost spent. I'll see _you_," he reached out a gloved finger and tapped my nose, "Later. Whenever I am finished Underground. Farewell, my dear Wren…" and he faded away.

I was seething… oh, yes, I would get him for this one.

* * *

I tried to keep working until my shift was over, but I really found myself unable to. I told Lisa I was sick and took the rest of the day off at noon. Once I was home, I turned my ring around and counted the small crystals, thirteen total, that were designed to take me to the Underground. 

When I looked up, I was standing outside of Jareth's large study doors. Hmm… I had an idea….

* * *

Jareth's eyes widened from his spot behind his desk (which was piled with papers and scrolls) when I barged into his study and marched up to him. 

"Wren," he said, genuinely surprised, "I apologize, dearling, but I am quite busy, as you can see-"

"Yes, you monstrous jerk, I can see that – just like I was terribly busy during my meeting this morning! Thanks to you, people think I'm crazy!" I threw my hands on his desk, causing his scrolls to rattle.

He winced while steadying them, "Ah – I can see you found my crystal…"

"Actually," I cocked my head and stormed around his desk to where he was seated in a chair, "I didn't. It just went on… so I was faced with an insane GK giving me a private table dance!"

His eyebrows raised, "That is not my fault – I cannot control what those crystals produce, you know. Like I say, _they will show you _your _dreams_, Wren. I am terribly sorry it was embarrassing…" his face fell a little, "I thought you would find it in your home, and enjoy a nice conversation…"

My face softened, but my resolve stayed strong. I could tell that he really was busy, and feeling stressed… but he knew better than to send me that. I wasn't going to halt my plan. "Still, Jareth, that was really uncalled for. I'm not a needy baby. I knew you were busy, and I was looking forward to just seeing you again, when you had the time. You know I don't care for illusions."

His eyes glinted at me, "Yes, yes, you have told me enough times," he sighed, and took my hands, kissing them gently, "All the same, you are a welcomed sight at the moment, so I refuse to apologize for sending the thing, in the first place."

I grinned, "Work that bad, huh?"

He shook his head, "Not bad, just dull. You are a welcome distraction from all the," he motioned to his desk and pulled a disgusted face, "_Monotony_."

"Really? You'd like something out of the ordinary, then?" my heart was racing. I was out for revenge… but this was risky. He'd want to murder me when I'd finished.

He gave me a curious look, "What did you have in mind?"

I hope he didn't notice me grit my teeth. His eyes widened as I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt – a not quite so low cut poet shirt (dang, he had a ton of those) – and kissed him forcefully.

That successfully stunned him… but I only had a moment before he'd recover. I forcefully hauled him to his feet, pulled him around me, shoved him against his bookcase behind him, and assaulted his mouth again. He tried to say something, but I didn't let him speak.

Keeping my mouth in constant contact with his – which wasn't easy, as he's a bit taller than I am – I moved him around and pushed him towards my target…

For the moment, the target was the rows of books (his study, by the way, was lined with shelves and cases, filled with books, scrolls and odd artifacts) that was beside his door. Jareth, I knew, would think my target was the long odd couch-thingy near that case… even though he ought to be suspicious of my sudden, and very uncharacteristic advances. My true target was the door.

I got him to the book case and kept him there – he was now (finally) starting to kiss me back… which was weakening my resolve, somewhat… can't help that, he really drives me wild…

But, I had to do this. It was too funny not to.

"Jareth," I said against his mouth.

"Hmm, what?" he murmured, while running his hands through my hair.

"I'm… sorry…"

"What for?"

"This!" I reached over his shoulders and yanked his shirt up and over his head, getting his arms stuck in it, and obstructing his view.

"Wren!" he hollered, shocked. I giggled as I grabbed the tops of his _leggings_ and twisted them clockwise as far as I dared, grabbed the door handle, and ran for it.

I may not be a distance runner – being overweight tends to leave you with short breath over distance – but I'm good for short bursts of speed, with my oddly strong legs. I tore down the corridor racing towards the throne room as fast as I could. I reversed my ring as I ran, just in case I needed to get home in a pinch. 

Curse that Goblin King! I could hear him hot on my tail, him and his long legs.

But, then I reached the throne room. I flew through the doors, which I'd already left open, grabbing the handle of the left one as I went through. The mud I'd made was still slippery and I skidded off to the side. Jareth, though, who didn't know there would be mud, hit it hard and slid.

Before going to see him, I'd coerced some goblins into helping me make a muddy pool out of the hole that was in the middle of his throne room. Excited at the prospect of seeing him fall into it and getting his lovely hair wet, I'd made a kind of slip and slide between it and the door, too, and had planned to get him angry enough to chase me.

My mouth fell open as Jareth gracefully skidded to a halt at least three feet before the pool, and rounded on me. I don't think he'd even gotten his boots muddy. Dang it! How could he have done that? And how the heck was he able to do it and still look so dang hot?

He smirked. "Wren, what ever have you been up to?" he said in a slight singsong voice.

I folded my arms from my spot on the floor, "You saw me coming, didn't you?"

He shrugged, "Naturally. I always know when you arrive here," he made slow, deliberate steps in my direction. "And, you forget, my goblins are loyal to me… two of your recruits told me what you were up to."

"Traitors!" I spat, half-heartedly. I watched his hooker-boots until he was right in front of me. I looked up at him. "Okay, so my trap failed miserably. You win."

He pulled a face, "Was this a contest?"

"No, but… your prank was better. Mine failed."

"What in the name of the Underground were you trying to accomplish?" he looked really baffled.

I smiled sheepishly, "Get your hair wet, and maybe a little muddy."

His eyes widened – I know the idea seemed very appalling to him, "Why?"

I looked down at my hands in my lap, "I thought it would be funny…" without warning, Jareth bent down and picked me up, hauling me over his shoulders, like a sack of potatoes. "Ah! Jareth! What are you doing! Put me down!" I kicked and flailed, but to no avail. He was too strong for me.

"PUT ME DOWN!" I roared.

I felt him laugh, "Well, dearling, only since you asked _so politely_..." With a plop, he dropped me in the pool.

"AAAHHHH!" my head went under for a second (when had it gotten as deep as this? It hadn't been very deep at all when I'd filled it... GK had probably had something to do with that)and I came up sputtering and wiping my eyes.

He stood at the edge of the makeshift pool, his head thrown back, laughing heartily at his own joke.

Whatever. I reached out a hand and grabbed his boot, pulling him in with me.

Jareth fell in with less dignity that expected. I think that was mainly because I caught him off balance. Either way, he splashed as much and sputtered even more than I had.

His hair, while droopy, still managed to stand up… just a little. Mud dripped from his hair. I snickered. He gave me a murderous look…

And then, laughing himself, pulled me close and kissed me softly. We squished with all the mud. As nice as kissing him is, the mud... yeah, ew. Just ew. I wont' say more on that.

I backed away from him, expecting another trick. "Hey – you're not mad?"

He shook his head, "Actually, I am furious with you… but," he laughed again, for a moment (I love to hear him laugh), "I really did need a break. Thank you, Wren, for this. Messy as it is… thank you."

"Oh… you're welcome…" There was a pause.

"You look awfully adorable with your hair so flat and dirty, you know."

"Shut it, GK."

* * *

Only problem with going and getting muddy in the Underground is that I have to go back home to shower. 

I stepped out of my room, covered from head to toe in mud. I didn't think anyone would be home at that time…

"Wren, is that – _Wren_?"

I looked at Orla, my sister, who stood at the other end of the hallway, looking at me. She was looking at me like I was the Swamp Thing.

"Hi, Orla, I'm just going to get a shower here."

She blinked, "Um, okay… Wren?"

"Yes?"

"Are you covered in… mud?"

"Um… yes. This would be mud."

"Why?"

I smiled and walked past her into the bathroom, "Eh, crazy day at work."

* * *

**A/N: Whoa! This was just a crazy idea I had… please let me know if it stinks. I don't think it's my best, but I just… I dunno. This is what happens when you have a notepad in a meeting at work, and you aren't paying attention to the actual meeting. I blame Tyler for this chapter. He's way too dull. Ironically, this chapter nearly wrote itself. It just… came out… **

**Review, please. I really appreciate it. **

**Special thanks to DanikaLareyna, who convinced me to mix it up a little. You're right, we all needed a little break. D Hope this is 'enough'. GOSH! **


	7. Final Part of How it All Started

**Disclaimer: Been here, done this, will say it again – no matter how much I wish the GK was mine, he is not. Poor, poor, pitiful me.**

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****Yami Moon: Hmm, I have a feeling you chose as I did – forget the baby! I'll take the King! Ahaahahahaha! coughs I mean, uh, thank you for your review… heh…**

**Sanoru: Hee… I have since been barely able to listen to Bond's _Victory_, as I picture him doing a salsa dance… and it cracks me up too much… cha-cha-cha! He does have the moves, doesn't he?**

**Anij: Part of their relationship is that part of the time, Jareth likes to play Wren's way, you know? It's like when someone lets you win at something, just because they like to play with you… He was just messing with her. But go as far as mud? NEVER! Ahahaha! I'm SO glad you liked it, and that it was actually funny! I mean, I often think things are funny, but sometimes, it's just me…**

**DanikaLareyna: What, and you've never dreamed of Jareth doing a salsa in the middle of an office meeting? Okay... well, maybe that's just my twisted mind... Chocolate? _Now _who's naughty? **

**Notwritten: I like that you like it!**

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****Oh, I have a good song for this chapter – simply exquisite, should anyone care to listen to it while reading, or whatever.**

**_Si Volvieras a Mi _by Josh Groban, the _Closer_ album – I don't know the translation, but it's a lovely song, and it's what I listened to while writing this chapter. **

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Okay, so lets see if we can finish this start stuff… Wren is getting closer! So is Jareth… We shall see a break down, lots of teasing, and the end of the Run! At last!** **

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**Everything had slipped from my mind… nothing I had been thinking about mattered. I blinked my eyes sleepily and took in my surroundings. 

I've never worn a ball dress before, but there I stood. And… I was crying. The room I was standing in was beautiful, with shinning walls and dangling chandeliers with glowing candles… and my dress was gorgeous. It was a shimmery jade color with a nice waist and long sleeves that drooped gracefully. My hair was also all wavy and nice… everything seemed splendid…

But no one was there. The room was empty. I had… missed the party, I guess. I could hear the lovely music faintly playing in the background, but that was about it. The rest of the grandeur was gone. Whatever great fun had occurred, it was over now. I had missed out on it.

I found a step to sit on, plopped down on it, and cried some more.

"Don't cry," said a soft voice. I looked up, to see a smiling man. Was he a man? No… he had to be something special. He looked very regal. He wore a dark suit that sparkled, with a high collar and ruffles at the neck and at his cuffs. His hands were gloved, too – something that fascinated me. His hair was kind of long and spiky and it had blue streaks through it…

I smiled as I saw his face. He was perhaps one of the most handsome men I had ever met… well, if I could remember meeting other men before him, I'm sure he'd be the hottest. His face was so… perfect. Smooth with high cheekbones, a slightly pouted mouth that turned at the corners and eyebrows that defied the rules of normalcy with a grace I'd never known. He looked somewhat familiar…

He extended a hand out to me, which I took. Before I knew it, he was dancing with me slowly. I frowned.

"The party finished, didn't it?" I asked, sadly.

He nodded, "Yes, but you wouldn't have liked it, anyway. Too crowded. Here," he moved a gloved hand across the room, "We have everything to ourselves. Much more room to talk and enjoy ourselves, don't you think?"

I smiled, "Oh yes, I agree. But…" I wracked my brain, there was something I was trying to remember and just couldn't… "What do we talk about?"

"We talk about you, Wren." His gloved hand touched the small of my back, giving me shivers. He looked surprised at this. "Do I make you nervous?"

I looked into his eyes… it never occurred to me to lie to him. "No. You thrill me. I've never met anyone like you… and you fascinate me."

His eyes widened, "W-what?"

I laughed, a bubbly kind of noise, "Well, why not? Is it so strange that I would…" my face fell, "Oh, I see. It's me, isn't it?"

He looked slightly confused, "You?"

"Yes," I nodded, "It's because I'm fat, isn't it? Ugly, too? I know… I'm… I'm used to it…" and then I remembered.

My insecurities from the past that had been hidden from me by an invisible barrier came crashing down on my mind. I recalled everything – even the part where Jareth threw a smushy peach in my face. Part of it must have squirted into my mouth when it hit and knocked me out…

I looked downward, feeling extremely self-conscious… I wasn't the type to wear a fancy ball gown, and here I was wearing one. It was a very strange feeling. I felt… naked. That's why I'd looked down… make sure I was dressed.

"Now, why would you say that?"

"Huh?" I looked up, meeting his eyes, "What do you mean?"

The Goblin King – and yes, I do say that I was still aware that I had, per amnesia, said he was the most gorgeous man alive… and said that he thrilled me… even though I was terribly embarrassed by it – looked down at my curiously, as if confused.

"I never said you were _fat_ or _ugly_," he said the words with a sneer, as if the words were very distasteful to him, "You aren't either, so don't think of such things. Now, we were talking about you, Wren."

Obviously, he still thought I was under the peach-induced amnesia. And… was he trying to get me to talk? Maybe that was the whole point… eh, as if I minded. Jareth was a very attractive man – or, well, whatever he was – who, at the moment, actually wanted to dance and talk with me and hold me in his arms… heck, I didn't mind this at all.

Besides, if I could time it to where I was near the junkyard, before exiting this thing, and kept him with me the whole time, then I wouldn't have to worry about the song lyrics. Ha-ha!

I smiled at him, "What would you like to know about me?"

He twirled me and then pulled me close again, "Hmm, for starters, why don't you tell me what it is you've always wanted?"

I tried not to blush at this… it really was a personal question, but I knew that while under the peach amnesia – or _pamnesia_, as I was starting to think of it – I had been completely honest with him…

Oh dude! That was it! That was the whole point of the peach! Honesty – to show Jareth what it was you truly wanted, your intentions, etc. That had to be it… especially with me, as he didn't seem to know why I was in his Labyrinth, having wished myself away rather than a sibling.

And yet… I still felt like I couldn't lie to him in the ballroom.

"Acceptance," I said without thinking, "Unconditional friendship, and love. Someone who cares about me for who I am, not how much I weigh or what I look like. Someone who loves me for me. That's all I've ever wanted."

He frowned, "Truly? That's you're deepest desire?"

I smiled up at him, "Yes, it is. Unconditional acceptance, knowing that no matter what I do, or how I look, there's someone who cares…" a strange question rose in my throat and came out my lips before I had time to understand what it meant, "A good friend… do you have any friends?"

My question shocked him terribly – I could see it on his face. He covered the look quickly, giving me a seductive smile, "Friendship is an attribute I find simply stunning-"

I cut him off, "That wasn't my question. Do you have friends?"

His face blanked (that made, what, three times he'd done that so far? Something like that) and he thought for a moment before answering me. "One does not have the need for mere friends when in the company of such beguiling beauty…"

I got the feeling that he was trying to seduce me... Not because he wanted to, necessarily, but to stall me, or something. I wasn't sure. I doubted that he was sure either, since, as already stated, he didn't quite know why I was there.

But, in that moment, my heart began to ache. With the honesty of the Ballroom, I felt overwhelmed with great sadness… for the Goblin King. He didn't have friends. Everyone needed friends – _everyone_. I could feel the sadness evident on my own face, and when he leant closer, or tried to, I turned my head and faced him, meeting his lovely eyes head on.

I decided, right there, even as snooty as he could be, that I liked him. He was an interesting fellow… and I liked him. A small smile touched my lips, "Would you like one?"

He frowned, confused, "Would I like one of what?"

My smile grew a little. "Would you like a friend? Even a dumpy one, like me?"

Jareth's face paled and he staggered, mid step. "You… you would… do that?"

I shrugged, still smiling, "Sure, why not?" He stopped dancing right away, dropped my hands and slowly turned from me, almost staggering away. "Hey, what's wrong?" I asked, a little worried.

He moved over to an empty table that was still covered in a white tablecloth. He leaned on it, hunching his shoulders. "I can't do this…" his voice was barely above a whisper. I had a sneaky suspicion that he hadn't said it to me, but to himself. He stiffened when I came up behind him and placed my hand on his glittery suit's shoulder. "I've been… deceitful to you, Wren," he said with a shudder.

"I know you tried to be. But, with the way you and I seem to argue, I don't blame you – well, that and you are being honest to me, now, so that's a good thing, right?"

He looked at me sharply, "How could you have known?"

I smiled, "My own insecurities are no match for you're pamnesia juice."

"_Pamnesia_?"

I snorted, "The peach stuff that makes you forget. I know you got me with some, and it wore off a while ago. I remember everything, including you smacking me with a peach in the face to get me here…"

He raised a pointed eyebrow at me, "How long ago did it wear off, exactly?"

"Long enough that I knew the truth when I offered to be your friend. But, while my offer still stands, I'm adding a stipulation. While we're here, in this room that seems to keep you honest, I want to ask you some questions, and I want you to answer me truthfully." I put my hands on my hips and looked at him.

He straightened up and crossed his arms over his chest. "And if I refuse your offer?"

I laughed, "For a friend? Fine, your loss. I can just go back to nagging you. Think about it – why am I running this rat-race anyhow? For the right to stay here. So, you tell me, if I were to win, wouldn't you rather I be a friend than a nag? Trust me – heck, ask my sister, Orla – I can be a good nag."

The Goblin King seemed to stand there and think about what I was saying. Hopefully, he was thinking rationally. Rationally, me being a friend made sense… didn't it?

He nodded at me, "Very well. What do you want to know?"

The words came out in a rush, "Were you in love with Sarah?"

He frowned, "I told you not to mention her!"

"You said I could ask what I wanted to know! And, don't forget you agreed to answer. I'm trying to figure you out here," I marched over to him, grabbed hold of his gloved hand and proceeded to drag him over to the steps I'd been sitting and crying on earlier. I sat down and motioned for him to sit beside me. When he hesitated, I tugged on the edge of his coat, forcing him to sit beside me…

Dang, we made an odd pair. Two people sitting on stone steps: one overweight, in a jade ball gown who was slouching, and the other a very dignified who was perched delicately on the edge of the steps in a sparkly coat, as if worried that he'd get it dirty.

We sat there, with the faint music still playing in the background, for a long while before he answered me. His voice was strained, and I could tell that he really didn't want to tell me this (actually, I think he figured he could handle it all, and didn't need to tell anyone, ever) but since he had said that I could ask and that he would answer me, he had to.

"She wasn't the first to ever get so far… others had won. But _Sarah_… she was the first to demand so much of me… It was exhausting, but I was entranced. Most importantly, when I brought her here," he waved to the empty ballroom, "She didn't hid behind a mask. That's a big thing, if you didn't know it. It's truth… she had nothing to hide, no secret motives… and in such honesty, she actually sought for me…"

I nodded, "Yeah, I kinda got that part. But she also… left the ball room, didn't she?"

He nodded, grimly. I smiled at the face he pulled – he had to be honest here. "She was repulsed by the society and false faces around her…",

"So, masks here matter, don't they?" I inquired.

Jareth nodded, "They do. One who wears one is hiding, pretending… no mask is honesty."

"And you removed your mask to her. You were… gosh, you were giving her all of you, weren't you?"

There was a long pause. He stared blankly ahead of us, across the empty room. "Wren?"

"Yes?"

He looked at me sidelong, "How is it that you know so much of me and of this place? And of Sarah?"

Oh dear… how do I explain this one? It wasn't an easy story to tell. "Um… Hmm. It's actually a long story, and honestly, I'm not all that sure how it fits in. Perhaps it's a story for another time, when I'm not running the Labyrinth. Back to my questions. You loved Sarah, didn't you?"

He shook his head, making his wild hair fly around him. "No… but I thought I surely could. I took a great risk when she won the game. I offered her…"

I nodded, "I know what you offered."

"Do you? Really?" he said, in a sarcastic drawl, "Do you know how hard it was for me to offer it in the first place? Do you know how miserably painful it was when she seemed to think it was merely another test in the game, and her duty to refuse it with those words?" His voice rose and he quickly stood, crystal in hand, "Do you know disgusting it was to know that she, in the end, needed everyone from this place, even a bloody firery, and not me? You DON'T know!"

He hurled the crystal across the room, where it shattered and started a small fire. I didn't move.

"You're right," I conceded, calmly, "I didn't know… but I do now. Thank you for telling me that. That's all I wanted to know."

He staggered around, his chest heaving, and looking at me with a somewhat miserable expression on his face, "You… _That's_ what you wanted to know?"

His eye twitched... I could tell his temper was building...

I smiled at him, "I wanted you to get that out of your system. By the way you've treated me so far, I assumed you were in pain… do you feel any better?"

His face looked murderous, "No, you insolent little brat! No!" He turned and threw several more crystals, which exploded more violently, in several directions around the ballroom. For a moment, I braced myself for the bubble to shatter, but he seemed to only hit objects like chairs, tables, and columns. I scrunched down and plugged my ears, waiting out the tide. I watched him, though. He threw and shouted, and at last he just stood there in the middle of the room, gripped his hands tightly, threw his head back, and simply roared. Then he dropped to his knees, silent.

I waited until I was sure he was finished. Yup – he had to be. He was just kneeling there, his chest heaving, not moving other than that. I got to my feet and went to him. I knelt down in front of him, a quiet smile on my face.

"Now, do you feel better?"

He looked away from me, seeming to be ashamed of what he'd done, in front of me. "You shouldn't have seen that, Wren. I…" he sighed, "I offer you my apologies for that childish tantrum-"

Acting bolder than I felt, I reached out and covered his mouth with my fingers, silencing him. He looked stunned. "What are friends for, Jareth, if not to be there for you when you're upset and hurting?"

He took my fingers from his mouth and held them in his gloved hand. As he did, he looked at me like I would probably look at a fiery, if I saw one – as though I were some oddly fascinating creature he'd never seen before. His mouth fell slightly open.

"I offer you my apologies for being so horrid to you, earlier… for the peach… but… I am the Goblin King… I don't need…" he couldn't finish it. The ballroom was still too much honesty. He couldn't lie to me and tell me that he didn't need friends.

I rolled my eyes, "Everyone needs friends, you ninny, and believe it or not, I forgive you for the peach thing. Now, come on, let's get out of here, so you can lie some more. I think it's taking its toll on you."

He glared at me, but raised his hand in the air and snapped his fingers. The room around us popped – instead of shattering – and in an instant I was back in my own clothes and was falling fast…

I landed in a heap of junk, and not too delicately, either.

"OUCH!" I yelled, more angry than actually hurt. I landed right on my rump – and on something that was rather hard and not at all comfortable. I rolled over, trying to distinguish what I'd landed on, but I couldn't tell what the heck it was. Deciding it was probably best if I didn't know what it was, I got to my feet, brushed myself off, and looked around. I could see the end of the junk yard…

Wait, the junk yard?

I did it! I made it there, and Jareth still hadn't found the song lyrics! I made a whooping noise and did a little dance where I stood – my rarely seen happy-dance. It was kind of a hopping-bouncy thing… well, since rarely anyone sees it, I suppose I shouldn't describe it anymore. Some people find it weird… like Jareth…

"Are you allergic to peaches, Wren?" he asked from behind me. I stopped my dance and slowly turned and faced him.

"Um, no. Why?"

He smirked at me, "You looked like you were having a seizure – I assumed it was an allergic reaction to my peach."

I straightened up and looked at him, "That was my happy-dance."

"And why, pray tell, are you so happy?" he crossed his arms across his chest, while shifting to the side in a cocky-stance.

I smiled broadly, "I made it to the junkyard before you found the lyrics. I win!" I started dancing again.

His eyes looked me up and down, seemingly horrified by my danced (well, either he was horrified at my dance, or about ready to laugh hysterically… with him, it was a little hard to tell). "Who said I didn't find them?"

"WHAT?" I stopped dead. "No… you couldn't have…"

He rolled his eyes, "A trip to your music collection, back in your room, was all it took to find the song."

My eyes went huge, "You're a friggin liar!" I hissed.

"Let's see, you only have a handful of songs that could possibly be humiliating to you… and a glance at the lyrics was all I needed…"

"No… no…"

He smirked and cleared his throat, "Dear Wren, I agree with you, it is a _lovely_ song…

"Under this pale lit sky," he sang in a smooth voice, "With you here by my side, there's nothing that I could hide, you know me better than anybody else…"

My jaw dropped. He'd found the song.

And he went on singing, "All of myself revealed, there is nothing I could conceal, my soul is yours to steal, take me where ever you want to!"

"Stop, Jareth, please," I begged, "Please don't sing the chorus,"

A wicked grin covered his face, and he went on, "Baby, I'm _naked_, _naked_ with you…" he stopped singing. "Wren?"

I had turned and walked away. He'd done exactly what I knew he'd do with the song, which was _Naked_ by Celine Dion. It opens with an awesome guitar solo… I love the song, just not the words. They embarrass me… so I long ago made up my own. So, not wanting to be mocked, I just walked away.

"Wait – Wren?" I didn't see his face, but I assumed he was confused. I felt his hand on my shoulder and he spun me around. His face was concerned and… upset.

"Why are you just… walking away?" he looked curious, "Walking away from a perfectly good opportunity to fight with me? That doesn't seem like you."

I sighed, "First of all, Jareth, you can't say that you really know me, especially only after a few hours of being around me. Secondly… I'm not accustomed to teasing… I've never… I've never taken it well." I looked away.

A hand touched under my chin and turned me back to look at him. His eyes were searching mine. "I think we both have much to learn about being _friends_, don't you?"

I smiled. Maybe that's what I needed from the Labyrinth… "Yes… I suppose your right."

He let go and stood back, holding a finger to his nose. "Does this junkyard smell to you? Hmm, yes, I believe it does smell. On now, let's be off – if I wanted to smell something horrid, I'd go sit in the bog…" he marched right on past me towards the end of the junkyard, which was actually in sight.

Then, about five minutes later, after we had left the junkyard in silence, Jareth broke the silence again. Throwing his arms in the air, he started to sing…

"Baby, I'm _naked! Naked _with you!" He paused and looked at me to gauge my reaction.

And then he started to run – albeit playfully – away from me, as I started chasing him and hollering loudly.

"GET BACK HERE, YOU JERK!"

* * *

Three hours later, or what I could only guess was three hours later, Jareth and I were slowly strolling through the Goblin City. So far, we had actually had a civil conversation, and were laughing over the movie. Up to that point, we'd talked over about everything you can imagine… my work, his work (mine was so dull by comparison), a few childhood memories, things we like to eat (he surprised me by saying fish – as it's not something he gets often), and tons of other things. It was… nice. Really nice. 

"I _still_ can't get past the talking worm…" he snickered in a very un-kingly manner, "And the lichen – it sounds horrid!"

I paused, mid-step, and looked at him, "No, that lichen stuff is real. I passed it on my way in… and touched it-" I stifled a gag reflex at the memory.

He looked mortified, "Have I really let my Labyrinth go so badly? Dear me…"

I smiled, and somewhere in the distance, a clock chimed. I glanced at Jareth, feeling suddenly panicked, "What time is it?"

He shrugged, "Twelve, I would imagine. You still have some time…"

I grabbed his hand and started running, "Nope, I ain't chancing it! C'mon!"

We ran the rest of the distance through the Goblin City, and in – literally – a few minutes, we were standing before the Castle. The doors opened wide right away and I yanked Jareth inside.

"My," he said, when I stopped running, "You can be quick, can't you?"

I glared at him – he wasn't even panting. I was shaking and breathless. "Yup – shocking – ain't – it?"

Once I caught my breath, I noticed he was smiling at me, gently. I then realized that I was still holding his hand. I let go with a sheepish grin. "Sorry… your hand's just too nice, I guess."

He smirked at that, "Well, itis _my_hand, after all."

I shook my head, laughing, "I have odd choices in friends." He pretended to look hurt. I only laughed again.

I looked around, not really sure what to do next. "Jareth?"

"Yes?"

"Um… what now?"

"Well…" he sighed, "You made it here…"

Where was the 'but'? I had a strange feeling. "I didn't win, did I? Somehow there's a catch, isn't there?"

Without a word, he motioned for me to follow him. We dashed up a few stairs and into…

The Escher room. I blinked. "Not this. I don't think I can handle this room…"

Jareth was already walking on a wall near me, having reached it first. "This isn't a test for you, Wren. This is where I come to think… my sanctuary, in a manner of speaking."

I frowned at him, as he walked past me, upside down. "Then, why did you bring Sarah here?"

He turned and looked at me, stepping off the wall and standing beside me, right side up. "I told you, I was offering Sarah something special… I thought she would accept… it was my last attempt to get her to stay."

I looked into his eyes, "So, why are you bringing me here?"

He looked away. "Wren… you don't want to leave behind your family. I can see it in you. You care about them, even if they anger you from time to time. You're wish to stay here was rash…"

I hung my head. He was right. "You're right…"

"I figured that much," he said quietly, "You knew the Labyrinth too well, I knew you would win, and then regret your choice to stay. You would be bound to stay here… and then hate me for it."

I said nothing. I wasn't sure what to say.

He pressed on, "So I assisted you, took away certain obstacles… I interfered, even more so than I ever did with… with Sarah."

"So… what does that mean, Jareth?"

He hung his head, "You won, but not completely. Because I helped you, I cannot keep you here, as you asked."

He… what? He did that to… to help me? To keep me from hating him? My face lit up and I jumped at him, startling him as I hugged him around his middle. (Man… he smelled good…) Then I felt his arms around my back, too.

Horror struck me – I had to go back. I looked up at him, quickly, feeling tears prickle at my eyes, "But then I have go to back! I mean, I want to… but…I also want to stay…" I trailed off, not knowing what to say.

He patted my back, "I'm fond of you, too, Wren," he said gently, "You fight with me."

I snorted and tried not to cry.

"Now, now," he cooed, stepping back from me. "Don't forget, you did still make it here in one piece. That does count for something."

I sniffed, "Yeah, chicken crap. You're… I mean, we are friends…"

He nodded, "Yes, we are. For you, I have a gift." He produced another crystal and rolled it around his arms (to my absolute delight! He hadn't done that at _all_ since I arrived! He was rolling crystals again!) and caught it in his fingers. It popped faintly, and in his fingers, there was a ring.

I gasped, "What isthat?" I felt a little funny about a ring... what did it mean?

He smiled, "This," he showed me a flat band that came together, making a V shape on top – and there were clear jewels along the V shape, "Is, well, something I've never given to another. I created it for... well, for you. It's, as you can see, a ring. Those aren't diamonds, but crystals."

"Just like yours?"

"The very same, only smaller," he reached out and took up my left hand, sliding it onto my middle finger, the V pointing up my wrist, "If you wear it like so, and physically count the crystals, it will send you home or, if you are home, do nothing. Turn it the other way, with the point towards your fingertips, count the crystals, and it will bring you here, to the Underground, somewhere near me. There are thirteen crystals, in case you wish to know... this is, in essence, a key to the Underground."

I marveled at it… it was silver and sparkly… and I loved it. He'd given me a key to the Underground… to him. I felt tears sting my eyes and I quickly hugged him again. "Oh Jareth! Thank you so much! Does this mean that I can… I can visit you? I can come here and just… be me?"

He made a face, "You did win, and so part of your wish is granted – now, for heaven's sake, you emotional thing – stop attempting to ruin my shirts with your tears!"

I grinned up at him. "You won't be fully rid of me now, you know."

He rolled his eyes… but then a sly smile touched his lips. "In a way, Wren, I'm counting on that. Now," he went back to his stance of a King, very formal like, "It's time you got on home."

I gave him a grateful smile and did as he had instructed me to with the ring. It was an odd experience, just looking at it, counting the tiny crystals with my finger, and then looking to find myself back in my room, as if nothing had happened at all...

I sighed and sat on my bed, feeling very... nice. What a night! I was friends with Jareth... the Goblin King. I did what every normal twenty-something girl would do with this news.

I squealed and did a super-happy dance around my room, not caring how stupid I looked, even if Jareth himself could see me.

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**A/N: Dear me! That was long! But really, I'm tired of all this _plot_… I had to get it out, and I couldn't bring myself to cut it short. I apologize for it being so whoppin' long… and if you like long chapters, I apologize that I doubt others will be this long. **

**So, now you know how it started with Wren and Jareth – they just started out as friends. HA! The best things start that way, I think. And about the song, at long last – it is really called 'Naked' by Celine Dion, from her 'One Heart' Album, and I state here, for all legal purposes, that I do not own it. But, I hope it was funny… **

**Do review and tell me what you think. I can't make it better without feedback!**


	8. Bubbles!

**Disclaimer: Not mine, not now nor ever – steal Wren, and I hurt people.**

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****Sanoru: Happy-dances are fabulous! Mine has a kind of kick to it! hahaha!**

**DanikaLareyna: We have too much fun chatting, I swear! I'll be sure to remind you.**

**Yami Moon: Hee... yeah, Wren did have it easy - Jareth wanted her to. He was her largest obstacle. In the end, he knew she wouldn't want to leave it all behind... he can be sweet, when he tries. Hee.**

**Imazombie: I _knew_ someone would find that funny! It's really a song, though… I think I would just die if Jareth sang it to me. O.O**

**Anij: Trust me, with the whole song, the term 'naked' only has one meaning. Hence the embarrassment.**

**Ashleigh-VermillionVenom: What a compliment! Thank you, very much!**

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A few weeks after running the Labyrinth...**

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Ever have a day when you just want to slam your head against your work keyboard and just… I don't know, scream for no real reason? Yes? 

Well, I was having one of those days. I couldn't stand it… things at my job were just so… SLOW. Freakishly slow… and, see, I have an instinct about these kinds of things. I can tell when the slowness in the works systems I use is because of an 'information' clog somewhere in the line… I don't know squat about what would cause it, or even what it would technically be called, but I do know when they occur. Then, after an hours or so, things explode, and you're busy for the rest of the day, at least.

This wasn't one of those time. No promise of work. It wasn't a clog. I was bored stiff!

"Allie!" I called across our row of cubicles. She looked up from her desk at me. "Allie, you busy?"

Allie snorted, "That's a big no. Do you think this is from a glitch?"

I shrugged, "My instincts say no, but I could be wrong."

She sighed, "I was afraid of that. I'm so sleepy! I… gosh, I just wish there were a lively place I could go to, you know? Just for a few minutes, have a good run or giggle or something, and then come back. It would be refreshing, don't you think?"

My eyes went wide. "Yeah… that would be nice… 'scuse me, I need to run to the restroom…"

I got up and raced to the restroom. I'd forgotten completely about my ring. I loved my ring… I'd only used it a few times, upon Jareth's invitation, never on my own…

But dang, if ever there was a time when I needed to go to the Underground – like Allie had described – this would be it. A little Goblin mischief was exactly what I needed to wake me up.

I found an empty conference room down the hall from the room where my team works, and decided to try it on my own. I turned my ring the correct direction, and counted the crystals.

I blinked and looked up, surprised to find myself, yes, in the Underground… and somewhere in Jareth's castle… but in a deserted corridor. Where was I? Hmm… perhaps that's why I never used the ring on my own before. Hadn't Jareth said it would take me somewhere near him?

I looked around… where would he be? I did spot a crooked gold clock on the wall, saying that it was mid-afternoon in Underground-time. So… where would he be? He had to be close…

Just beyond the clock, I spotted a door. Two doors, actually. They were fancy compared to the rest of the walls, or even to other doors I'd seen in the castle so far. I didn't see any other doors, so he had to be there. I approached them and knocked. Nothing. I knocked again, and still nothing. Slowly, I cracked open the doors and peeked inside…

Oh, it was lovely! Simply lovely! The room was large, with a fireplace on one end, resting beside a sunken alcove, lined with cushions – which looked, I must say, very cozy. Behind it, against the wall, there was a fancy table and two chairs. Far to the right was a large four-poster canopy bed. The room was glowing with afternoon sunlight that sprung through the window, which looked like it led to a spectacular balcony. This was like the Presidential suite at the Biltmore!

I spied the canopy over the bed. It was glittery.

I gasped. This was Jareth's room. Who else was obsessed with glitter?

A slight humming sound met my ears. It was coming from the opening beyond the fireplace, in the far corner of the room. It looked very much like a hallway that possibly curved around to a room behind the fireplace, and it was lit with a soft golden light.

Must be his study, I thought. With a smile, I crossed the room and headed down the hallway. I was right, it did curve around behind the fireplace. I was wrong – it was not his study.

I didn't think I could possibly see a stranger sight. The room was gorgeous, yes, kinda a brownish-gold hue theme…

It was Jareth, no doubt about that… but… he was, um, bathing.

Well, not bathing, per se…

Relaxing in a large, white, footed bathtub, filled to the brim and then some with sparkly bubbles, was the Goblin King. Humming to himself, he didn't know I had come. He had his head back and eyes closed, and was humming… one foot was sticking out of the other end, tapping lightly to some tune I didn't know, off hand.

Thank heaven there were bubbles everywhere. I think I would have fainted, otherwise.

_Okay, Wren_, I thought quickly, _Just back out, and he'll never know… this doesn't have to be an embarrassing moment…just because you caught him in the tub! Ahahahaha! Look at the bubbles! No! Heavens, Wren, get a grip… just back out…_

And so I tried to back out, quietly. But, three things happened all at once: I backed into the wall, my work shoes squeaked on the shiny floor, and Jareth opened his eyes and saw me.

"WREN!" he bellowed, sending a massive shower of bubbles all around the room while grabbing something that looked like a robe on the other side of the tub, "GET OOOUT! GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT!"

I, feeling mightily embarrassed, turned on heel and booked it big time to get out of the bathroom. I slipped once, but other than that, I was back at his bedroom door in less than ten seconds. I yanked the door open…

Only to find a dripping wet Jareth, clad in a maroon bathrobe that went clear down to his ankles and past his hands (I still couldn't see his hands!) waiting for me on the other side.

"Ahh!" I hollered, scuttling backwards so fast that my feet slid nearly out from under me.

He looked murderous, and was stalking towards me slowly. I scrambled backwards until I reached the other side of the room, with my back to the wall.

He was… terrifying. And that robe was rippling too much… I covered my face to hide from him. Pointless, I know, but sometimes don't you wish you could just… hide?

"You accursed girl!" he hissed, "Have you no manners, that you insist on barging into my private chambers and disrupting my bath!"

Still with my hands on my face, I snickered a little. "I didn't mean to – and how the heck was I to know that, first off, this was your room, and secondly, that you were bathing! I didn't know! Gosh…"

He sighed, "For love of the underground, get up!"

I felt him grab me by the shoulders and I was on my feet in a blink. I swallowed, but still kept my hands over my face. "I was just… bored at work… thought I'd say hello to you, at your work… That's all…"

I felt his hands, covered in his robe sleeves, take my wrists and pull my hands down. He was giving me a stern look, and was very close to my face…

"Don't hide, it's not becoming of you," he said in a whisper, his anger quickly ebbing. "And can you honestly say that you wouldn't be as furious, had I walked in on your bath?"

I went red, "Okay… point. But, c'mon, I didn't know where you were. How was I supposed to know you'd be bathing?"

"Hmm," he stepped back and looked at me, "Hand over the ring."

"What? No!" I held clutched my hand protectively to my chest. "You gave it to me!"

He rolled his eyes, "I'm not going to keep it," he said very slowly, "now, be an adult here and hand it over." He extended a hand (which, I now saw, was gloved – dang him!)

I frowned, but obeyed and placed my ring in his palm. He squeezed his fingers around it for a mere moment, then gave it back. I smiled and took it from his palm, replacing it on my finger. "What was that about?"

He folded his arms across his chest, "Now I'll be notified when you arrive here. Just to be safe. No more of you flouncing up while I'm undressed."

I glared at him, "Flouncing? I'm not the Mr. Fancy Pants who has a glitter canopy and takes bubble baths! I, sir, do not flounce."

A sly grin pulled at his mouth, "Dearling, I'm afraid you do. You have… twice, I do believe."

I frowned, "What? When?"

He snorted and walked away from me to a wardrobe on the other side of the room, "When, indeed," he retrieved a fluffy looking blue shirt from the wardrobe and started to dress his upper half (flushing bright red, I turned away just in case he had robe issues while doing so), "Do you not recall last week, when you flounced across _my_ own throne room, attempting to show me how to 'magic dance'?"

I snorted, "Pfft, that was me mocking you."

"Fine, but you flounced all the same. Don't deny it. You can look now."

I turned around to see him fully dressed, blue shirt, black tights and black boots – and black gloves. He began arranging the ruffles of his cuffs, a haughty kind of expression on his face as he did so… and I had the sneaky suspicion that he was striking a pose, too.

I was curious, "Jareth?"

He sighed dramatically, and gave me a quick smile, "What is it, Wren?"

"Two things," I said. "First… why can't I see your hands?"

He raised an eyebrow at me, "Well, they aren't invisible, are they?"

I sighed, "You know what I meant, jerk."

He smiled, wickedly, "You can't see them because I am wearing gloves. It's not _that_ complicated, Wren. Surely that makes sense, and answers your question?"

"No, actually it doesn't, but I'll take it for now."

"And what else did you want to ask?"

I snickered, "Did you know you still have pink-ish bubbles in your hair? From your, ahem, _bubble bath_?"

With a mortified look, he raised a hand to his hair. "Curse you, Wren! It's…" he made a face and a disgusted noise in his throat, "Soapy!"

"Baby."

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After a good laugh, I returned back to work. I checked my watch – in my time, I'd only been gone about ten minutes, which worked out perfectly. I'd taken my break, I suppose. 

I sat back down at my desk with a happy sigh – it was nice to visit the Underground on break. I unlocked my screen and began my work… I reached over to my soda can I'd left on my desk and took a sip.

I spit it back out, all over my computer screen. Dan, the man who sat right across from me, jumped up. Allie came over, too, at the noise.

"What's wrong?" they both demanded in unison.

"Uh… bad soda…" I said quickly, using a tissue to wipe my tongue off. Dan shrugged and sat down, but Allie stared at me for a moment as if I'd gone mad. I held up the can, "It went flat! I hate flat soda!"

She laughed and walked back to her cube.

No one noticed when I hiccupped a pink soap bubble.

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**A/N: Hee, I so couldn't resist this one. **

**Read and review! As always!**


	9. Lunch with Allie and the goblin?

**Disclaimer: I am obsessed with Jareth and the Labyrinth (and consequently, David Bowie… just FYI) but I do not own any of them. I do, however, own Wren, love her to pieces, and if you attempt to steal her, I will be forced to hurt you. I'm just sayin'…**

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****DanikaLareyna: Heh… don't die! If you die, I'll have to make these less funny!**

**Sanoru: Ah, I just couldn't resist the bubbles!**

**Anij: Why was he upset? All of the above! Ahahahaha! Ahem, sorry… just thinking of him in the tub made me laugh, there…**

**Notwritten: Aw, thanks.**

**Yami Moon: Well, if you had magic, wouldn't YOU be obsessed with glitter? Okay... maybe not... maybe that's just HIM. Drool away. I know I do... quite frequently...**

**Victoria: Don't worry, I'm working on it! Fear not, the next chapter... well, is here!**

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**-This chapter is dedicated to, ahem, _Allie_ – or, rather, the actual person (coworker and friend) that Allie is based on. May we always be as wired as we are on Rockstars and VonDutch! Ahahaha! Allie is a really good friend, and lately we've been having way too much fun at lunch, in a large empty part of the office. So, our lunch-time shenanigans were part of the inspiration for this update, and I wanted to just say thanks to Allie, for being a way super awesome friend, who is so cool in understanding my obsessions! Muahahaha! Wait, where'd that laughter come from?- **

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So far, I had to admit, I was very proud of myself. Jareth and I had been seeing each other for awhile now, and I still hadn't told anyone. It was a secret that I had to keep… and I've never been good at keeping secrets. Heck, it had been an even longer time that I'd known him (how many months, now? Eh, I'll count later)

Okay, first of all, I really couldn't tell anyone. Who'd believe me if I said I snuck off to visit the King of the Goblins, who lived in the Underground, at least twice a week, usually more? And – even worse – I highly doubt that even if someone believed that he was real, that they would believe I was kinda-sorta dating him.

Half the time, I didn't even believe that part of it.

And yet, while I knew I couldn't just tell people without landing myself a spot in the loony bin, I was aching to tell someone. Oh, yeah, when I'm with Jareth, he seems very real, and I believe… but at times it just seems too good to be true. Part of me wants someone to verify that he exists, and that I haven't developed a serious case of schizophrenia, like that dude in that one movie that Jennifer Connolly won her Oscar from.

Jareth was too sensitive to debate this with. If I told him I questioned his existence (well, I really don't… but if you were me, and he seemed to like you, wouldn't you wonder if it was all just some beautiful dream?), I think he'd go kill himself a few goblins and pout for weeks.

At times I wonder if I'm going to just, all of a sudden, lose my mind over all this stuff.

Dang, Orla would have hay-day if that happened. So no – couldn't let that happen. Won't give her the satisfaction.

I was pondering about Jareth on a semi-slow day at work, when it all started. Kay, a teammate who was about to have her second baby any day now, passed my desk, pausing to look at my name tag. With her baby-brain going all the time, she was constantly worried about names.

"Wren," she said, passing my cube to sit in hers (which was next to mine), "I love your name. I really do… don't you and your siblings have grand sounding names? What are they, again?"

I wasn't listening fully. I was staring at a picture of David Bowie as Jareth… not as hot as the real thing, but as close as I dared to putting a picture of the real thing on my desk at work, without drawing suspicion. Everyone knew I was a fantasy buff, so film pictures were common sight at my desk. No biggie… except I would tend to stare at it quite often…

"Wren?"

"Huh? What?"

Kay gave me her I-know-you're-thinking-about-a-guy look. It's her pregnancy-powers. I don't know how she knows these things, but she does. I could almost see her make a mental note to ask me on that later. "What are your siblings names?"

"Oh," I smiled, somewhat sheepishly, "In order from oldest to youngest, there's Gideon, Ezekiel, Persephone, Lachlan, Orla and myself, Wren."

She sighed and leaned back in her chair, "Oh, I love those names! They're so… grand!"

I snorted and turned back to my screen, "Yeah, except for _Wren_. They all have such grand meanings – heck, Orla mean 'golden princess' – but mine. I'm a _songbird_."

Kay wasn't listening, she was off dreaming on what to name her baby. Allie, though, smiled from her spot across the room.

"I like you're name. It's not something you hear everyday."

I shrugged, "I guess so. I suppose it could be more boring…"

Allie snorted, "Like _Allie_?"

"No," I said, pointedly, "You have a nice name."

She shook her head, "It's okay, I like it, but I've always thought it would be better spelled A-L-L-I-E-G-H or something. 'Course, then people would think it's pronounced Ali, or something…"

We talked for a while longer on names and spellings and such – no matter how much we tried, there wasn't a better way to spell 'Wren'. Then, Allie sent me an email. It read:

_Hey Wren, _

_Question… want to come eat lunch with me? I don't know about you, but I just get so tired of taking my lunch here at my cube… well, the other day, I found this great spot in the building. Remember the big room they call the Garage, because it actually used to be a garage, before the Company rented this place? I know we don't usually go down there… it used to be so crowded! Anyway, they moved all those people to another building, so its all empty cubes in there! And, there's an office way on the far end, also empty, where I go to eat my lunch. It's so peaceful! Want to join me, today?_

_Allie_

I smiled and sent her a reply:

_Allie, _

_You bet! Sounds nice! This room, even though it's just for us, does get kinda noisy… An office, you say? I say we make it our club house… well, that is, until the Company moves some other people in there._

_Wren_

So, when lunch rolled around, I saw Allie head off to the Garage. I nabbed up my lunch bag and followed her. She was already there, in the office across to the far side of the room, on the other side of the maze of short, empty cubicles. She waved at me happily and pulled up an empty chair for me. I started making my way across the room…

I headed down one row, and spotted a dark thing dart past in the other direction. I gasped. I'd spent enough time in the Underground to know what that was…

But, to be sure, I chased after it. Around two cubes and down another row. Unfortunately, this was in plain sight to Allie. I glanced over to her, to see her frown at me.

I tried to say something… where were those witty covers people always think of? I couldn't think of a one!

But, then again, if there was a goblin in my office building… well, covers weren't all that important.

I saw it duck around a corner just as I entered the row were I'd seen it go. I doubled back and went down another row. I saw it race by… but where did it go? Oh, there wasn't a way to catch it on my own, and I couldn't let it be loose…

I sighed, dashing over to the office and sitting down my lunch bag. This was going to be nasty.

"Wren…?" Allie asked, a strange look on her face, "Is there something wrong? Is there something over in the cubes? Like a… mouse?"

She was terrified of mice. Poor Allie… how would she react to a goblin? I looked at her…

And I couldn't lie. Dang me and my honesty! Curse it for all time!

"Allie…" I gulped, trying to measure her reactions, "Yeah, there was something, but it wasn't a mouse…"

"A rat?"

I shook my head. "No… but there's only one guy," I couldn't keep my face from blushing a little bit as I thought about Jareth, "Who can catch it. I tried – well, you saw me… I'm sorry, Allie, this is going to be weird. I don't now how…"

She held out her cell phone, "Do you need to call him on my cell?"

I gave her a faint smile, "No…"

She eyed me all of a sudden, like there was a light going on in her head. "Wait a minute… it's _that_ guy isn't it!"

My eyes went large. "What guy?"

She grinned, "Oh-ho, the guy that everyone thinks you've been seeing… we can't figure out who it is, except that you've been extra dreamy lately, so we know it's a guy! It's him, isn't it?"

"THE WHOLE TEAM KNOWS!"

Allie laughed heartily, "No! No! Kay and Dan were discussing it… but they're dreamy people, anyhow, and they also sit right next to you, so if anyone, they would know… no, the whole team doesn't know… but that means I'm right, doesn't it?"

I went scarlet. I couldn't tell her no… and, I was in a pinch, anyhow.

Gosh! Why do these things happen to ME?

I heard a giggle over my shoulder, and I guess Allie did, too. She looked past me, her eyes widened in fear, and she gasped, jumping back. A hand shot out to point in the direction she'd seen it, and she was shaking.

"Wren!" she cried, "I… I saw it! W-what is t-that! It was b-big and it r-ran by!"

I sighed and hung my head.

"Allie, I'm going to do something you're not going to believe… but as you've seen it, maybe you might… oh dear…"

"Wren!" she grabbed my shoulders, "_What is going on!_"

"I have to call someone… yes, it's that guy, but… you won't believe it. Okay? Just trust me that everything is okay, there's nothing wrong, and he can fix it, alright? Just… just trust me. Oh," I made her sit on the desktop in the office, "Sit here, and whatever you do, don't scream. Nothing is _wrong_… but… yeah, just don't scream."

She nodded, frightfully, and I stepped out of the office. I ran quickly over to the double doors that were the entrance to the Garage, closed them, and put a chair in front of them. Not that it would stop anyone from coming in, but… I guess it made me feel better about what I was going to do.

I ran back to the office and Allie, seeing the goblin run by at least twice, gave her a reassuring smile, and then turned to the middle of the room.

"Okay," I said semi-loudly, "I know you're here! No one's said the words, so you need to go back to the Underground! Please go!"

I heard a giggle, but nothing else. Allie was looking somewhat mortified.

I shook my head, "Okay, fine, don't say I didn't ask you nicely," I muttered, touching my ring. "Jareth! I need you!"

Three things happened at once. First off, a goblin screamed, hearing his King's name, and realizing I was serious. Secondly, Jareth appeared about five feet away from me with a minor puff of glitter, wearing his cape and armor-ish clothes (why did he have to choose today, with Allie nearby, to show up in all his Kingly glory?). Thirdly, Allie seemed to remember that I'd told her not to scream and so she covered her mouth and wedged herself in the far back of the cube, which shifted and kinda clunked against another cubicle.

Jareth looked at the room curiously before greeting me with a smile. I could tell he hadn't seen Allie yet.

"My, my… have you decided to remodel your office after the Labyrinth, Wren?" he gave me a grin, "Or are you just trying to make me feel at home?"

I laughed a little, but I had a problem on my hands. "Jareth, I came here to eat lunch with a friend, and I discovered there's a goblin running around…"

His eyes shot open wide and he looked at me, almost furiously, "You called me when you weren't alone?"

I sighed, "I had no choice! She saw one of your goblins! It's running around in the cubicles!"

He whirled around – I thought he'd be looking for the goblin – and then rounded on me, "Where is this person!" he hissed.

I bristled. He was missing the point. "Hey, GK, can we focus here? There – is – a – goblin – in – my – office – building! Take it away before it gets into trouble or, worse, gets me into trouble!"

In the corner of my eye, I saw the goblin peeking around a nearby cubicle wall, watching me.

Allie saw it, too, and made a squeak. Poor Allie. I looked at her, and she looked simply terrified. Jareth saw her, too, and rounded on me.

He pointed a finger at her, "Who is this?" he demanded.

I slapped down his gloved finger, feeling my temper start to rise. "That would be one of my _friends_, Jareth, who at the moment is petrified of YOU and your GOBLIN!" He was still looking at Allie, somewhat upset. I reached over, grabbed his chin, and turned his face to look at me, "Stop acting rude. I wouldn't have called you with her, had she not seen the goblin, okay? But she saw it, so I did all I could do. Now, can you show her some manners and let her see that you aren't going to go all Hannibal Lector and try to eat her, or something, please?"

He had pressed his lips together in a thin line, still upset, so I added quickly in a whisper only he could hear, "Jareth… please. Allie's cool. She's like me, and she won't tell anyone – that is, if you're kind to her. Please be nice?"

Instantly, a change came over his features. He was, I knew full well, turning on his king-like charm. He delicately removed my hand from his face and turned towards the small office in which Allie was hiding. He approached the entrance (it would have had a door, but these are cubicles, office or no office, so it only has an opening, really) and bowed low to her.

"Do forgive my rudeness, lady Allie," he said in his rich voice (heavens, it gave me shivers to hear his voice drop down to those rumbling-soothing tones), "Your presence startled me – Wren has never asked me to come with a friend present. May I introduce myself?"

Allie said nothing. She seemed frozen to the spot, her eyes wide as saucers. In fact, she didn't even move… the most she movement was with her eyes. They were darting all over, taking in Jareth's appearance.

He extended a hand to her, bowing again, unconcerned by her reaction so far, "I am Jareth, King of the Goblins and ruler of the Underground Labyrinth. I am pleased to meet you."

Allie didn't take his hand. She still didn't move. I stepped into the cube, and stood between them, looking at Allie with some concern.

"Hey, Allie," I said, taking her hand and patting it, "It's okay…"

She quickly became unfrozen and turned to me, blinking a few times, "Holy crap, Wren. He's real, isn't he?" she said in a slightly dazed voice. "I mean, really real. The whole thing?"

I nodded, "Yup. I've been there, seen the Labyrinth, and this really is the Goblin King. I called him because the thing you saw is one of his goblins. I don't know how it got here, probably because of me, somehow." I shook my head, "Anyway, yeah… he's real."

"This isn't… I mean… I'm not being pranked, am I? Cameras aren't going to come out, and this guy's not going to suddenly tell me I'm on television? I swear, Wren, if you lie to me…"

"Allie, you know I wouldn't do that to you. This is real."

She gulped and turned to Jareth. "Um… hello, I guess. I'm Allie." Jareth smiled at her, extended his hand to her again and began talking to her, a little.

I saw the goblin out of the corner of my eye again. It was now looking right into the cube office with us. Obviously, Jareth wasn't going to just catch it… for a brief moment, I toyed with a vision of Jareth running, top speed, through the cubicle rows, chasing the little brown goblin, his cape flying out behind him. I stifled a giggle.

Ah, but I had to catch that stupid thing. Quickly – it SO wasn't expecting it – I lunged at it.

"HA! GOTCHA!"

It tried to run, but I was too quick for it… well, sorta. It tried to dash away from me, but I managed to catch its legs. I landed on my stomach in doing so – urgh, that would hurt later, I knew – but I wriggled it into my grasp where it couldn't get away. As far as goblins go, it wasn't very big. Kinda small, actually. No bigger than a foot and a half, with a brown little tunic thingy and boots and a small hat that looked more like a metal dinner plate than a hat.

It squirmed, but finally stopped wiggling, seeing that I won the game, and I picked it up by its feet.

Breathless, I turned to Jareth and shoved the goblin towards him.

He and Allie were talking, still, oblivious to the fact that I caught the goblin.

"Yes, yes," he was saying, "It really _does_ smell that bad, but it is simply too good of a threat to use than to clean it-" he looked at me, eyes widened slightly at the sight of the muddy-looking goblin. "Wren, it is_rude_ to interrupt a conversation, you know. Manners, dearling, manners."

My eye twitched. "Send it back. Now."

He turned his nose up, haughtily, "Well,someone israther demanding today, yes?"

I righted the goblin and shoved him – or her, I can't ever tell – at Jareth's chest. "Get rid of the goblin, GK."

He sighed lazily, gave Allie a look like I was a misbehaving child he was dealing with, produced a crystal which he handed to the small goblin. As soon as it took it in it's hands, the thing vanished.

"There we go, Wren, is that better?"

"Yes, GK, thank you. Now," I looked at Allie, "How are you doing with this?"

He gave me a jittery smile, "I… well, I'm still shocked…" her voice was shaky, "but… Dang, Wren, this is so friggin' a-awesome!"

I sighed. That was good news, really good news. "Really?" I asked her, "You're really okay with all this?"

"Um," she paused, "I don't know for sure… I'm still debating on that. But, I promise you this much," she looked pointedly at Jareth, "I ain't saying a word of this to anyone. They'd lock me up in the crazy house!"

Jareth gasped and looked at me, "They would not!"

I rolled my eyes, "Stop showing off for Allie, she's already decided you're charming, okay?" he deflated a little, I turned back to Allie, "You can tell me… and please, don't mention Jareth to anyone."

She sighed, "No fear of that," she said breathlessly. "No one would believe me, anyhow. Not even my cousins!" she sighed and looked at her lunch bag, which was now practically forgotten on the desk. "I'm not hungry… I think I'm going to go back to my desk…"

I raised my eyebrows, "You sure?"

She nodded, "Yes, I'm sure. I've had enough weirdness – no offense, your Highness," she added quickly to appease Jareth's hurt look, "but I've really had enough for one day. Egadzooks," she breathed that last part. Taking her lunch, she excused herself politely and headed out of the room.

Once she left, Jareth smiled largely at me, "Well!" he said, pleased, "That went rather well, wouldn't you say?"

Simply furious, I drew my hand back, fully intending to slap him across the face as hard as I could. I knew he'd catch my hand before I could actually hit his gorgeous face, but that wasn't going to stop me from trying.

When he caught my hand effortlessly, I growled at him, "Can you be any more self-centered? Did you or did you not understand the part where one of your stupid goblins was running around my work place, uninvited?"

He used my hand to pull me closer to him, and he got his face really close to mine, "Wren, I am hurt! Do you realize how generous I have been to you?"

"Not this stuff again…"

He let go of my hand and sat back on the desk, folding his arms delicately across his chest. "I sent the goblin."

My eyes went huge. I had no words… instead, I sputtered and spat, wordlessly.

He sighed, "Did you truly think it would go beyond my notice, Wren?"

"Uh… well, considering that you let me catch it-"

"Not the goblin," he waved his hands dismissively at me, "I meant in that you were feeling… alone. You haven't spoken to anyone of me; I knew that, and I know you, Wren. Did you think I would notsee it was takingquite thetoll on you?"

"You knew?" I managed, flabbergasted.

He nodded, "Of course. And you, knowing you as I do, were notabout to tell me this. Of everyone you could confide in, I thought Allie would accept the situation the best. The goblin was a test, you might say. It was here on my orders – which is why I sent it back as nicely as I did. Had it followed you without my orders, I would have ripped it straight into the bog, not sent it kindly with a crystal."

I frowned and looked down, "Dang – I should have noticed that you were too nice with it."

Without a word, he pulled me close to him, enfolding me in his cloak and laying his head on mine, "And, also, why would I simply show up wearing this, if it was only me you needed? Unless you are in mortal danger, why show up in full armor, unless to make a show of it to someone?"

I buried my face in his chest, just smelling him (man, he sure smells awesome… so, what's the word? Manly, I guess.) "Okay, we've established that I'm stupid. You are generous…" I looked up into his face, "Ah, what would I do without you?" I stood up on my toes and kissed him lightly, cutting him off. After a few moments, during which he decided to kiss me back (weeeee! Flying!) I pulled back and looked at my lunch. Then at my watch… I had about fifteen minutes left of lunch.

"Hmm, I've got a bit of lunch time left, and we are alone here…"

"Oh, do we?" he purred seductively… as I've said before, he does that to annoy me. Why is it that he just _loves_ to argue with me?

I smiled, "Want to join me for lunch?" I asked, innocently.

He raised an eyebrow at me, seeing my challenge of the unsaid, do-you-dare-to-eat-in-this-office-place-with-me, and replied, "I would be_ honored_."

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**A/N: Yeah, fluffy, I know. I couldn't resist. Next chapter is a big more back story, on how they became more than friends. Hee hee. Please review!**


	10. More than Friends

**Disclaimer: Wouldn't it be nice to own Jareth? I mean, really, wouldn't it? Too bad.**

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****DanikaLareyna: Aw, thanks! Portland, huh? Way cool! I'm envious! Yes… I'm fairly certain that kissing Jareth would feel like flying. He is gorgeous and fae, after all. **

**Sanoru: Nah, I'm not awesome… just a geek. But, a happily spastic geek, who has wonderful pictures of Jareth around her cubicle at work… not that that matters, I'm just saying, I HAVE PICTURES OF HIM AROUND MY CUBE! Heh…**

**Anij: Aw, thanks! You know, I'm not fond of writing about the goblins, but this one was kinda fun!**

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****Urgh, I am in a bad mood! I am writing this chapter to, literally, try and cheer myself up. **

**Okay, music recommendations (I apologize for some of them being a bit on the angry side today): **

**_Something More_ by Sugarland – my feelings at the moment**

**_The 1812_ by Bond – anyone seen V for Vendetta? LOL! BOOM! Ahahahaha!**

**_Pablo Picasso_ by David Bowie – a good weird song with an angry/snotty twist**

**_Just Like Jesse James_ by Cher – Oooh… it's like Jareth and Wren's theme! I love it!**

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_Approximately two months **after** Wren ran the Labyrinth…_

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In all truth, I was still in shock. 

For the next few weeks after I returned from the Labyrinth, I was majorly freaked… well, it wasn't so horrible, I admit, but it was still… odd. Every now and then, most of the time at night, and without notice, the Goblin King would just appear in front of me. Each time, I'd jump and either drop something or run into something.

But, it was nice… he'd just show up to talk – though he never would admit to that, at first. He'd give me some other reason why he was there like, "To see if you still believe in me," or, "To check on your sanity," but we usually ended up doing one of two things: sitting on my bed, our backs to the walls, talking about our day, or he'd take me to the Underground and we'd walk around a garden or something, talking about our day. It was awkward at first, but… once we started arguing about something or other, the awkwardness vanished as if it had never been there.

Some days… some days I wondered if it was all a dream. The only thing that kept me sane, at first, was my ring. I knew I hadn't gotten that ring anywhere else, and I knew, with that on my finger, that it had all happened and was true.

But, I quickly discovered, that ring was a part of my problems.

Two days after getting it from Jareth, I was wearing it and feeling slightly on the giddy side. I was walking around my office at work thinking, "The Goblin King is my _friend_!", over and over. When I got home, I was still thinking that… and then Orla spotted it while visiting, and gave me the third degree over where I'd gotten it. I knew she wasn't going to give up… but I generally don't like to tell her things, so I didn't say anything. At the time, she let it go.

About a month after meeting Jareth, I noticed he was acting oddly. It happened one night, while the two of us were talking in my room, quietly. (Thank heavens I'm the last kid living at home, and also that my parents' room is farthest from mine). I was exhausted, but he'd come to talk, and I did like talking to him, so I was doing my best to stay awake while we leaned our backs to the wall and chatted.

Well, he chatted. I dozed. It was late (12:30 in the morning… urgh…), and he was talking about some issues with a group of fairies that had managed to get into his personal chambers that morning.

"Ghastly," he was saying, "The rotten things were simply everywhere, even under my bed…"

I was listening, but at the cost of my muscle control. My head was too tired to stay upright. Without even thinking, I put my head on his shoulder. He paused in what he was saying, looking down at me.

"I'm listening, keep going," I told him. He continued telling me about the ordeal. Slowly, my attention span started wandering. It didn't help that his shoulder was very warm. I could feel it through his poet shirt. Then I noticed his shirt… it was a pale blue (the same color as his right eye) and it was loose on his arms. I captured a bit of it between my fingers and started playing with it. This he didn't mind, or even seem to notice, really, but then a wave of tiredness washed over me and his arm was so warm… I linked my arm through his and snuggled against him.

"… all through the wardrobe, the monstrous – Wren?"

"Hmm? I'm listening, I swear. The fairies were in your shirts, right?"

"Yes…" he stiffened. I felt the muscles in his arm tighten, and he quickly disentangled his arm from me. "I should be going, you are very tired from your day." He gently leaned me down onto my pillow, his hand pausing near my face for a moment, and then stood and left quicker than he'd done before.

Eh, I was so tired I didn't think much of it. But, slowly, this kind of behavior started happening more and more often. Two weeks later, while we were strolling through one of his gardens (yes, he has gardens. They're on the other side of the castle, but he has them. My favorite, which was the one we were in at the time, has several fountains… gorgeous) and I was telling him about the hilarity from work.

"So, Dan stood up and just started dancing – it was freaky! I couldn't stop laughing at all…" I was having so much fun telling Jareth about what had happened, and at his reaction to my story (he seemed lightly amused… but he kept smiling, probably at my own excitement to be telling him), that I wasn't watching where I was going.

My flip-flop snagged on a rock. I gasped as I tripped and a surge of fear washed through me when I saw that I was going to surely bash my head against the edge of the fountain we were walking beside. But in a flash, I was upright again… and in Jareth's arms.

He'd lunged forward to catch me, but rather than just grabbing my arm or hand or simply pushing me into the fountain itself, he'd caught… all of me. Literally, I don't know how he did it. He was in front of me, his arms wrapped around me, hugging me close to his chest. So close, in fact, that I could feel his heart beating through his vest.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I am now," I said, my voice catching in my throat a little. I realized that my arms were around him, too… heavens, his waist felt really nice…

"Ah, good… and now I really have something to take care of in the throne room, those goblins really cannot be left alone for a moment!" He quickly pulled away from me and started walking fast, "Stay as long as you like, Wren. I shall see you later," and he was gone.

I frowned, still thinking of how nice he smelled. Sad that he just left so suddenly, I glumly counted my ring and went home.

And in the two weeks that followed that night, I didn't see Jareth at all. I was wrapped up in school and work, but Jareth didn't come to visit me… and it was quite depressing. I missed him terribly, and I was worried that I'd done something that upset him, so I wasn't about to go visit him uninvited.

I spent a miserable day at work, feeling very crappy, and then came home just plain depressed. I walked in the door to see my family sitting around to dinner… and two of my siblings, Lachlan and Orla, were visiting. Great. Just fabulous.

Okay, I am the youngest of six kids. Gideon, Ezekiel, Persephone, Lachlan, Orla, and myself. Gideon I have never gotten along well with, since he's so much older than me, but the others I do fairly well… Gideon and Persephone moved out of state, Gideon with his family for work, and Persephone in pursuit of a career. Ezekiel is always working, but Lachlan and Orla are always around. Lachlan is very cool, he's Persephone's twin, but Orla… she and I have always butted heads. We, as long as I can remember, have never gotten along very well. And I mean, never. I think she's always resented me taking over as the baby of the family.

But, I tried to be nice. I joined the family, talking with Lachlan (he's a painter) and asking him how his work was going. Orla, though, decided to take the moment to bring up my ring again.

"Oh!" she said in her mocking way, "Wren! Where _did_ you get that ring? Are you engaged?"

Mom and Dad dropped their forks. I glared at her. "Gosh! Orla, no! You are so nosy!"

Lachlan noticed my ring then. He didn't mean to be rude, but his natural curiosity took over, "Well, it is pretty, Wren. Where _did _you get it?"

I rolled my eyes, trying to be as dismissive as possible. "A friend. He came across it, somewhere, and didn't want it anymore, so he said I could have it."

Orla's eyes widened, "He? Do you have boyfriend?"

I swallowed, "First off, what's it to you if I did? Secondly, no I don't. Thirdly," I said this to my parents, who still looked shell shocked, and I held up my hand to show them, "I'm not engaged, okay? If I were, I'd wear the ring on my ring finger, not my middle one, and you'd guys would be the first to know, okay?"

This seemed to appease my parents, but Orla was still skeptical. "Who's the guy who gave it to you? How come I haven't heard of him before?"

I slowly turned to stare at her, "Do you ever shut your face?" I asked, more than angry at her being so nosy. My mother dropped her spoon.

"Wren! Don't speak that way to your sister!" she said, sternly.

I turned my glare to my mother, "And she's allowed to just demand personal information from me?"

"Oh," Orla leaned across the end of the table, completely oblivious to the fact that I was furious with her, "So he's really personal, is he? What's his name?"

Lachlan sighed, "Come on, Orla, let her be."

Orla waved a hand at him, "Well, I want to know who my baby sister is dating!"

I stood up, abruptly, throwing my chair backwards, "Orla! It is none of your business who I date – and I'm not dating anyone! And," I dropped my voice and pointed a finger at her, "Just because you're so nosy, and can't seem to mind your own business, I swear I won't tell you. He's my friend, okay? _Friend_. You haven't earned the right to know his name. In the far – and I do mean _far­_ – future, I will tell Lachlan. I will tell Mom and Dad. I'll call Gid, Zeke and Sephy, and tell them his name. I will not, under any circumstance aside from absolute necessity, tell you his name. Got it?"

Surprisingly, Orla didn't seem put off by this. Instead, as I feared she might, she steeled her face with determination… it was war, now, for Jareth's name. Five more minutes of arguing, I apologized for ruining dinner and just left the house. I got in my car and drove off. My day had been sucky enough… I couldn't deal with Orla anymore.

Seeking a sanctuary, I drove to the public library. I hopped out of the car and went in, going to the uppermost level and the far back wall, where it was really quiet and not many people were around. This was my favorite part of the whole place. The shelves were huge here, so tall you had to have a ladder to reach the topmost shelves, and the books were huge (was this the history section? Eh, it didn't matter much to me. I think it was some kind of research section… maybe…)

Along the back wall, they had these table-things that lined the wall. I want to say they were half-cubicles, half-tables… they were long tables, but they were sectioned off where people couldn't look at your research or whatever. No one ever used them. I didn't bother with the chair, but instead climbed up on the table and sat cross-legged with my back against the wall…

Like Jareth and I do, at home, on my bed.

I realized I was heartsick. I had a crush on him. And, after him not being around for two weeks, I was heartsick. I really missed him… and, so help me, I wanted to smell him again.

Horrible thoughts ran through my mind. Why had he left? Was I that hideous, that he couldn't stand me anymore? Did he notice how jelly-fied I got in his arms? What was wrong with me? What would make him stay away for two weeks, without saying anything?

I was overreacting, I knew it, but all the same, I felt rotten.

I sniffed, fighting tears, "Two months… two months, and I've already driven him away… I am cursed when it comes to men…"

"Whom have you driven away?" demanded a voice I knew too well. I looked up to see Jareth standing in front of me, his hands on his hips, his face angry. "Are you seeing a man? Who is he? Did he curse you?"

Considering the conversation I'd had earlier, his words only made me cry. "No!" I sobbed, "I'm not seeing anyone! Why is everyone rubbing my singleness in my face, today?"

His hands fell slightly from his hips, and he looked stunned, "If you are not seeing someone – not that I would care if you were, you could see anyone you like – then whom have you driven away? I… I do not understand."

I brought up my sleeve and wiped my eyes, "You, stupid!"

Jareth fell a step back as though I'd hit him, "Me? What ever made you think that?"

I glared at him. "Two weeks, Jareth. You go and do one of the cutest things, like, _ever_, and save my neck at the fountain, then act all weird, dismiss me – you _actually_ dismissed me! Well, kinda – and then I don't hear from you for _two weeks_. What am I supposed to think? I must have done something to make you hate me! I always do that with men…"

All façades about him fell. Even his shoulders slumped. "You thought I hated you?"

"_What was I supposed to think_!" I hissed, trying to stay quiet in the Library, even if no one was around.

He frowned to himself. "I was… dealing with some new developments. I am sorry I upset you, Wren."

I uncrossed my legs, sticking them straight out, so they hung off the table. "You don't hate me? I haven't driven you away?"

A strange look passed over his face, and he closed his eyes. "No," he shook his head, eyes still closed, "You are my _friend_… you would not drive me away."

"Then… urgh," I flicked my ankle at him, smacking him in the thigh. His eyes snapped open at that, and I met his gaze head on, "Then why? I mean… Okay, I know I really have no right to be so needy with you, or anything, since… we've only been friends for two months and everything, but… things were going great, we were having so much fun, and then you start acting all weird around me and then stop coming to see me all together. Why?"

He grabbed onto my ankles gently and pulled me forward to where I was sitting on the edge of the table. Then he stepped forward, less than a foot away from me.

"You could have come and seen me, too. And yet you did not. I did not know you cared so."

I went red. "I didn't think I was invited, after the way you were acting lately."

He laughed a little and took hold of my left hand, with his ring on it. "If you were not welcome, Wren," he said, fingering the ring, "I would take this back from you."

He didn't let go of my hand. Instead, he kept a hold on it, with both of his hands. There was a great pause between us, even if not much else. He was so close to me, I could smell him again. I then noticed that he was standing between my knees, and my knees were touching his thighs, and that's why we were so close together.

I swallowed, trying not to think about it, "Uh, so… what were the new developments?"

He looked up and met my eyes – I gasped! They were so… I don't know… intense, I guess. So honest… I was used to him hiding something, or pretending to be a snoot with me… but no, this was just… just Jareth. No kings, no magic, just him. It was startling. The last time he'd been so honest was in the ballroom.

"You."

"Beg pardon?"

He frowned a little, pulling a face, "Not you, per se. Well, it was you, Wren, but not you physically… ah," he sighed and looked up at the ceiling, "Yes, you, _physically_, but not you as in _you_…"

I must have looked confused, because when he sighed again, after seeing my face, it came out as a kind of frustrated growl.

"You are my _friend_," he ground out in a hoarse whisper, pulling another face while looking at my hands – which he was still holding, "I am not supposed to…"

I felt light headed. What was he getting at? He couldn't mean…

"Supposed to what, Jareth?" I asked in a small voice.

He took a deep breath, "I am not supposed to… feel this way…"

"What way?"

He growled in earnest, releasing my hands and taking each side of my face in their place, "Will you be quiet and let me finish!"

I raised an eyebrow, "Well, sheesh, do you plan to finish anytime this century, or are you waiting until I turn eighty? Eeep," he pulled my face forward, an inch away from his own. My mind went blank…

"I am not supposed to be attracted to my _friend_," he said, his breath brushing against my mouth. I whimpered. I have no idea why.

A cart came bustling around a corner, being pushed by an elderly librarian. I gasped, and Jareth grabbed me around my waist. There was a blink in which I saw the librarian turn back for just a moment, as if someone had called his name, and then my vision was of a fountain.

My favorite fountain, in fact. We were in the Underground, standing almost in the exact spot where he'd left me, two weeks ago.

And then I noticed he still had me around the waist. When he started to let go, I grabbed him by the shoulders and held him fast.

"What to you mean, attracted?" I asked, suddenly, watching his face closely.

He blinked a few times. "Do you need a dictionary?"

I scoffed, "No, I'm not stupid. Gosh, Jareth…" I let go and sat down on the edge of the fountain. "No one has ever been attracted to me. And you, of all people… I mean, you're a king! Heavens! You don't deserve me, _Wren; _you deserve someone like Orla, a golden princess. That's what her name means, you know. Golden princess… sheesh, I'm just a pitiful songbird. Boring, annoying, short, fat, plain… I…" he dropped onto his knees in front of me, so we were at eye level as I sat on the fountain edge.

He brought up his hands and cupped my face – a touch no one has ever given me. It brought tears to my eyes. He traced his gloved fingers over my face, through my hair, over my mouth…

"Do you not see?" he whispered. "That was my problem. You brought me back from darkness, creating such a light in my life. Do you think I have not met beautiful women before? Well, beautiful by your standards? I have. They are… bland. Dull. You, Wren, are bright. You make me come alive," he brushed his thumbs across my cheeks, wiping away tears I hadn't realized were there.

"But I'm-"

He cut me off, "No, Wren. For once, let me finish. All my years, I have seen women that are what you would call beautiful. Fae women look very much like what you would call _models_," he spat the word, "Even if they do not look so, they use magic to hide their flaws. No one is _different_… and never have any of them cared for the simple things, like talking about how their day was, or listening about mine. Not one ever took it upon them to wonder what drove me to depression, or to help me out of it… but you did. You, Wren, for all your plainness, height, weight, and argumentative tendencies, are…"

He got to his feet and began pacing in front of me, "I am not accustomed to this. You, of all people, should know I am not the most emotionally stable of creatures. I am a king, as you said, and you confuse me, Wren! A songbird, and I the Goblin King, cannot stop thinking of you with your head on my shoulder! Or how it felt to hold you! Yes, by every right, and every story ever told, I, the King, should want to have the golden princess, like you said, and not the songbird, but I do not!" he threw his hands in the air, "And my friend at that! The only woman ever to come to me with an offer of friendship, even after seeing me at my very worst, temper raging and violent! Do you know how many _beautiful_ women," he said the word as though it was disgusting, "Have run from that? Improper, monster, heathen, they say. They want me to bow and be polite and kiss their hands, aargh!"

He took a crystal from somewhere and threw it at a tree nearby in frustration, where it shattered, then vanished. "Curse them all! Is it so horrible that I like someone who will _argue_ with me? Someone who can frown and cry and actually _show_ emotions? Someone who…" he sighed and dropped down in front of me again, once again taking my face in his hands, "Wren," he whispered, "You… I tried to ignore it. I tried to listen to the vainest voice inside myself these last two weeks. I could not. I do not want the golden princess or Fae beauty. I want the songbird. _My_ songbird… my Wren…"

He raised his face, pressing his lips against mine, so tenderly…

When he pulled away from me, and I opened my eyes, I saw his face was shining… from my tears. My face was soaked. I was near sobbing. A sob choked out of my throat, deflating him.

He sunk downward, his head falling drooping. "And, now I have said my peace," he said, quietly, "I know I should not have, Wren, which is part of why I have avoided you… I am very sorry…"

I sniffed and wiped furiously at my face. It was futile. I gave up and reached out my hands to his chin… I was partly afraid to touch him! He's so gorgeous… I lifted his chin and looked at him.

"That was," I said, blushing horribly, "My… my first kiss."

He said nothing, but his eyes were astonished at that. I nodded to confirm that yes, no one had ever kissed me before. Sad, isn't it? Yeah, and he had wondered why I suffered from low self-esteem.

I ran my shaking hands over his face, taking in his features. He closed his eyes. My fingertips traced his unique eyebrows, his eyelids and long lashes… his cheekbones, so high and so regal, absolutely fascinated me. Then his nose…and his mouth, chiseled and just perfect… it made my heart race. He opened his eyes as I ran my fingers along his jaw line, up to his ears. I shook like a leaf, but I leaned down and kissed him, and his eyes fluttered closed.

I pulled back, crying again, but laughing also. This was so… unreal! I couldn't believe it! I leaned back – what was I thinking? I do not know. I think I tried to pull Jareth to his feet, but forgot where I was sitting…

Somehow, I managed to pull us both into the fountain instead.

We both came up sputtering and wide eyed. Once he wiped the hair out of his face, he gave me an odd look while stepping out of the fountain. "I tell you I have feelings for you, and you pull me into a fountain?"

I spat water, "Well, this is me we're talking about. I am a freak."

He pulled me out of the water, too, and brushed the hair out of my face. "No, you are not. You are… divine. Did we not just go over this?" When I looked into his eyes, he straightened up and pouted his lips, "The Goblin King would never dream of dating a freak."

"And I don't date sexy beasts… but it would appear I am. Get used to it, buster."

He looked at me sharply, "You said I was not allowed to say that term ever again…"

"I said _you_ couldn't," I clarified, ringing out the edge of my shirt, with a sly smile, "But me? Ah, I shall use it to my heart's content."

"Well, just for that, I refuse to dry you off before sending you home…"

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**A/N: I do apologize for any toothaches I've caused with this chapter. This really was a cure for my bad day. Ah, yes… I feel better now… even at the cause of severe fluff.**

**Love ya! Please review! Tell me how horrid the fluff is, okay?**


	11. Jareth vs the Fan Fiction!

**Disclaimer: Mine mine mine… nope, just kidding. Wren, though, she's mine, so back off!**

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****Anij: You know, I sure hope the hardcore JxS fans won't hate me… though, yeah, they probably do hate that chapter! XD**

**Sanoru: I really have no idea where that rant came from! But I'm glad it turned out well. **

**DanikaLareyna: Ah, Pablo Picasso just makes me laugh! And, yes, we'll have to chat it up sometime soon!**

**Sarahbella: Likewise, you cannot imagine how happy your review made me! I'm a lot like Wren, too, which I think is why I love writing this fic so much. Here's what I say: Imperfection is Divine! This chapter is for you, and all the MarySue's that we hate so much!**

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****Song recommendations:**

**_Rebel Rebel_ by David Bowie – This has got to be my favorite song, like, _ever._ Did I recommend it before? Maybe. I dunno. If so, fine, I am recommending it again. **

**_The Promise_ by InsideOut – these guys rock. If you've never heard them, go listen to them. Yes, they are A Cappella, but… well, you'd never know it.**

**_I Try_ by Macy Gray – not much of a Macy Gray fan, but I really love this song.**

**_In Dreams_ by Roy Orbison – oh, do go listen to this one! It's great, I promise!**

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I looked up from the book I was reading when he gave an indignant snort. I sighed, closed the book, and made my way cross my room to stand behind him. 

See, I had been finishing up my online homework when Jareth had come by to talk. Well, I was mostly on the finished side of things, and was actually rummaging around with my computer, doing two of the things that annoyed him the most: listening (and singing along to) the Labyrinth Soundtrack, and reading online fan stories. That's when it started.

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_Earlier that evening..._

"Wren," he said, making a disgusted noise in his throat, "Why do you bother with that…" he fumbled with a word for it, "That… _barbaric plagiarism_ and those silly songs when you could be spending quality time with me? The _actual_ Goblin King?"

I frowned at him, "Is it that hard to believe that some of these stories, fan written as they are, are done really well? I like them. This one here… well, it's quite good."

He heaved a dramatic sigh, flopping into the beanbag chair next to my computer desk (yes, I know, a beanbag chair… not the most regal of furniture for a king, but for whatever reason you can imagine, he said it was great fun to sit in) and pouting. "Oh, yes, let me guess, Sarah has come back to my Labyrinth and I'm falling for her, all over again, while simultaneously saving the entire Underground from utter destruction that has spurred from giving Sarah my heart?" he snorted and leaned back in the chair, "How trite."

I turned my nose up at him, "You've never even given fan-fiction a chance, you know that?"

Jareth looked at me with his, you've-got-to-be-joking look. "Dearling, if you haven't noticed, I _am_ the Goblin King, in the flesh. Why waste your time fantasizing when," he spread his arms wide, "I am right here."

"Gosh, as if I could forget it! But… well, c'mon Jareth, look at this one! Yeah, Sarah's back – she's back in most of them, mind you – but this time you're out for revenge… until your heart gets in the way…"

He closed his eyes and sighed, "And how, pray tell, is my heart supposed to get in the way?"

I shrugged, "I don't know yet. I think the basis idea is that Sarah is feeling incomplete without you, and she's out to win your heart…"

He snorted, somehow still managing to still sound regal, "Oh, and do I sing to her about the world falling down and pitiful valentine endings? We mustn't forget the valentine endings…"

I gave him a pointed look, "Fine, be a jerk face about it. But there are other kinds of fan fictions, too, you know."

"Oh, are there ones where I'm a monster? Or how about where I really am the terrible villain that Sarah thought I was? Do I dip her in the bog?"

I threw a wad of paper at him. He jumped, startled, and swatted away the offending wad as if it were a bug.

"It's not all about you, you know," I said, pulling up some of my favorites.

"More Portly Hooper stories?"

"How can you possibly be so bad with names?" I wadded another paper and threw it at his head. He gave an indignant _harrumph_, snatched the paper from where it had tangled in his hair and threw it back at me.

"Ouch!" I said. He threw harder than I could, "It's Harry Potter! Not… whatever it was you said."

He waved a hand at me, "Harry Potter, Portly Hooper, Hotty Popper, does it really matter?"

I grabbed the hand he waved at me and pulled him upward. He protested, but I sat him down in front of my computer screen and instructed him to read the story I selected.

"Just try it, okay? This is one of my absolute favorites, a song fic, about a few other characters, who are trying to ignore their feelings for each other…"

He looked at me skeptically, and pointed at my monitor, "That' barely two hundred words. How can that be a decent story?"

I rolled my eyes, walked around my office chair, doing my best not to laugh at how out of place he looked in it, and explained to him how to use the mouse and scroll down to the rest of the story. "Just roll this knob here,"

"Wren," he said, almost childlike, "I don't like to roll."

"Then click and drag with the mouse, okay?"

"Why is it called a mouse?"

"Just read the story, okay?"

* * *

_Back to where the chapter started..._

I moved up behind him to see what had made him snort. An hour and a half later, he'd seemed to master the click and drag of the mouse, and was currently reading some of my other favorite fan fiction stories.

"What's the matter?" I asked, rubbing my eyes and stifling a yawn.

He didn't look up from the screen. "This person… this _BlinkiFeind796516345_, is pure evil. Cutting my hair, putting me in sneakers, and writing that I would change my name – _my name!_ – from Jareth to Jared, just to fit in better? How ludicrous!" he turned and gave me a mortified look, "How could this ever be in your favorite list, Wren?"

I giggled, "Don't take it personally. You forget, these people don't know you, as I do. I like that fic because Blinki has several excellent descriptions of you in there. And, it's funny. Did you read the disco scene yet?"

His eyes widened and he drew back, "_Disco_?"

I shook my head, "Okay, that's enough fan fiction for you, mister. We're now turning the computer off…" I reached for the switch.

"Ooh, but I want to know what happens when Sarah sees the dress I made for her!"

I paused, mid reach, slowly turning to glare at him, "You made for her?"

"Yes," he nodded, his eyes wide, "In the story. I specially create a dress for her – which really was very inaccurate in it's descriptions, but was touching all the same…"

I flicked the switch, and my screen went blank. "Forget about the story, GK."

He pouted (as only he can) as I pulled him from my chair and pushed him onto the beanbag chair again. He still frowned at me, "You know, you did want me to read those. And I did. Now, you don't like my reaction? I thought you wanted me to like them."

I knelt down and squished into the chair with him, laying my head on his shoulder and looking up in his face, "Like them, sure. Obsess over them? Start referring to yourself as the Jareth in the stories? No."

He looked at me, a sly glance lighting his face as he did so. "Jealous, Wren?" he purred.

I shrugged and edged closer to his mouth. "Maybe a little… you're so cute when you pout…"

He grinned, "Why else do you think I do that in your presence?" he leaned over and kissed me. I let him for just a second, but then pulled back to glare at him again. "Now, now, now," he warned, "If you start playing hard to get, I may just go back to reading more of those silly stories,"

I stood up and stretched, "Well, if you think they're so silly, maybe I should write some of my own-"

"You wouldn't _dare_!" like a wild cat, he lunged at me, his gloved fingers out stretched at my midsection. I squealed and fell backward onto my bed, where he began to tickle me mercilessly.

Man, those fingers can be so cruel! He doesn't let up! I could barely breathe!

He paused in his assault on my sides (he was standing over me, next to my bed while I was on it) and looked down at me, his long hair brushing me slightly. "Give up?"

Still giggling, tiredly, I met his gaze. "The girl was unlike any other he'd ever seen… chubby and in a jade colored dress," I said in a highly mocking accent, "Not at all his type, but yet he couldn't deny that she was so sexy… Ahhh! Hee, oh, stop! Jareth, stop!"

He growled and continued to tickle my sides… I was laughing so hard, I couldn't stop him. "Now will you cease?" he said at length, a cruel smile playing on his lips.

"Never!" I cried out, like a maniac, "And the chubby girl said he was a sexy beast! And the King wanted to make-out with her like a monkey on a cupcake! Ahhhh! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!"

We were both laughing very hard. Jareth's shoulders were shaking. He'd given up on tickling me, but, though he was still standing, he had halfway collapsed on my stomach and was laughing heartily. His laughter on my stomach still tickled, so I was still giggling, too.

"That," he said after a long moment, "Was the most ridiculous… absurd…"

"Face it," I sighed, "You can't fight the fan fic. It's too overpowering."

He chuckled, "Like a… what was that last bit? A monkey on a cupcake?"

"Heh, yeah… oh, crap!" footsteps could be heard outside my door.

Jareth, quite used to dashing away when being nearly discovered, puffed away in a cloud of glitter. Thinking quickly, I grabbed my cell phone from my headboard and flipped it open, laughing into it as though I was talking into it.

My father stuck his head inside my door, just then, looking extremely bleary-eyed.

"Ah, that was the best, uh… Allie," I said, loudly, to my phone, which wasn't even on. But, Dad didn't know that. Hee.

He looked at the clock. It was almost midnight. I gulped.

"Wren… you're an adult. Go to bed like one. And," he glanced at the glitter mess on my floor, "For heavens sake, child, clean up that mess!" He said with a yawn, shutting my door and heading back to bed.

"Phew!" I clicked my phone shut and fell against my bed with a sigh, "That was close… per usual, though. It's always close."

Jareth reappeared, looking relieved, "Too true. But, ah, it is late. I shall bid you goodnight, my Wren."

I hopped off the bed and hugged him, "'Night, GK. See you later." I let go and started to reach for my pajamas, when he suddenly grabbed me around the waist and spun me back into his arms. He arched his eyebrows with a mockingly serious look.

"The _absolutely stunning_ Goblin King took the girl in his arms," he said in a deep, sexy voice, "Kissing her heatedly, ravishing her mouth against his own, showing her just how much a _sexy beast_ he could be," He turned, dipping me backwards and giving me a very dramatic, showy kiss. When he stood me back up, with a wink, he gave me a sweeter kiss, a goodnight kiss. (I, for one, prefer his softer, sweeter kisses. I mean, he's a King. Everyone knows he can be glamorous and showy and possessive… but it just melts me when he shows me his softer side).

He turned away from me, strutting as he faded back to the Underground, his voice growing more distant as he said, "Ah, with such a _searing, earth shattering_ kiss, the girl promptly fainted, the knowledge that no man would ever be able to satisfy her lips again being simply too much for her to bear!"

I shook my head to the empty room, gathering my pajamas with a resigned laugh.

"I've created a monster. Good thing he doesn't wear a crown, since his head is going to get so friggin' big…"

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**A/N: Ah, this was too fun not to pass up writing! So fun! I hope no authors are offended at my fanfic jabs… I just couldn't resist pitting Jareth against them! Ahahahaha!**

**Well, as usual, please review. A special thanks to those select few who regularly do review, I seriously appreciate it.**

**Love ya! **

**Marti**


	12. First Fight, Rescue, and Paint Job

**Disclaimer: AHAHAHAHAHAAA! My mind is totally running away from me with this story… and yet, I still remember to point out that I only own Wren. Really. Even most of the secondary characters are based on people I know (don't worry, not the mean ones… those are my own evil creations!), so I don't own them. Jareth, most of all, is not mine. DRAT IT ALL!**

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****Sanoru: Well, of COURSE my fic is worth more! Ah, wow, your reviews are so happy, they just... make me want to write more! Dear me... this fic is just running away with itself!**

**Anij: Yeah, I had to address the fanfic issue. Why? Well, two reasons: one, while interesting, so many are the _same_, and two, it seemed like a hysterically funny idea. Oh, and BTW, thank you for the kind words in the review for Danika's story… she's really the talent, I just throw out wacky ideas. I'm glad you liked it, though. **

**Sarahbella Raisands: Aaack! There really IS a disco-Jared fanfic? Oh dear. I just made an enemy somewhere... hee. Seriously, while I've seen a few 'Jared' ones, I just made that up! AHAHAHAHA! You dream of him? Lucky girl…**

**DanikaLareyna: Oh, dear me… you've given me a very strange idea for a chapter… There will be another chapter that deals with fanfics, I swear.**

**Notwritten: I'm glad you did.**

**Yami Moon: Sheesh... I have no clue as to how it is that I'm updating so quickly. Really, it's not like me much. I think I'm just so obsessed with Jareth, I can't help it. **

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****A/N: Okay, a very nice reviewer made me realize that those fics I mentioned in the last chapter may actually exist! Dear me… for the record, with the exception of the Harry Potter fic mentioned, I made them all up. I was not referring to anyone's fics, personally… so don't fret. The Potter fic I only mentioned because it's one of mine. I hope I didn't upset anyone!**

**Also, I must say, this fic is just… well, it's a runaway train, isn't it? I've been mauled by solitary plot bunnies, one per chapter. They are lurking everywhere! In my desk at work! Under my bed! In the bathrooms! Ahhh! Beware the bunnies!**

**Gosh, but I get the feeling that you all don't mind them. They give you updates. YOU ALL SENT THE BUNNIES, DIDN'T YOU! AAAAAHHHHHH!**

**Well, just for that, I'm adding in a little action/adventure stuff into this chapter. Wait, would it be called trauma? Drama? Meh. Not quite so ha-ha funny. You can pick whatever word you'd like for it.**

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Work, as you all know, is rarely very interesting. I mean, I like my job and everything, but it rarely has anything exciting to it. Well… yeah, not very exciting. I think that's part of why I like it. It may be dull, but it allows me to know what to expect on a daily basis. 

Besides, Jareth gives me enough excitement to spice up my life. I mean, when things can get a crazy as they do with him, I tell you, it's a little nice to have something that is constantly regular and boring.

So, anyway, you can imagine my surprise when the… attack? Yes, looking back on it, I guess it was an attack. I was mostly surprised that it even happened.

And even more surprised at what happened afterwards…

Okay, so let me back up and explain what was going on, and what the heck happened.

First of all, Jareth and I had been arguing. More than usual, I mean. This took place over the weekend, while I was painting parts of my room. He couldn't understand why I wouldn't let him help me, I said he could help if he didn't use magic, and yet magic was his definition of helping.

"Wren, I could finish this for you and then we could do what we like," he whined, looking terribly pathetic as he sat on the top of my chest of drawers that were shoved across the room so I could paint the wall behind where they usually were. I was painting the room white, planning on doing a green-vine stencil trim around the top when I'd finished.

"But Jareth, I _do_ like this. I like to paint. You're free to help me, just no magic. We could have fun," I said, dipping my roller in paint and applying it to the wall.

He rolled his eyes, thinking I wouldn't see, "I would rather we spent the time together, Wren,"

I gave him an incredulous look, "And what, do you think I'd send you across the country to paint my room? We would be together; we'd just be painting while we're together!"

He sighed, "I meant something… _interesting_."

I gripped my paint roller, "This could be _interesting_, if you would give it a shot. I got an extra roller, in case you wanted to help me, you know."

I watched him finger a cuff on his wrist, "But you won't let me help you,"

"No," I snapped, "I won't let you finish the job for me with magic. I want to do it by hand, if it's all the same to you. It's relaxing."

"No," he said, in a correcting tone that pushed me over my limit with him, "It's boring and dull drudgery that should be left to servants."

I turned my head to the side and raised an eyebrow at him, "So, what are you trying to say about me?"

"Nothing…" he met me with a blank stare, "But this just seems so… beyond you."

I was murderous. We'd argued over the painting of my room for the last couple of days. He'd wanted me to come visit the Underground, I told him I couldn't because I had something I needed to do. Then we'd had a huge argument over not getting to spend time together, and who's fault it was (according to him, it was my fault because it wasn't as though he could just give up being Goblin King, but I didn't have to waste my time in a dead-end job – to which I threw a shoe at him saying I liked my job and it wasn't dead-end). And so, as I still had to paint my room no matter what he said, I thought we could spend the time together painting and I'd gone through the trouble of getting him a roller to help me with, and he was complaining.

I blew up.

"GET OUT." I demanded with a crisp kind of fury, "You don't want to help, you're doing nothing but argue with me, and you're slowing me down. I have to finish this, no matter how much of a baby you act like, so GET OUT!"

My tone seemed to hit a hard chord with him, and his eyes glinted angrily. He threw his hands in the air and leapt off my chest of drawers, "Excuse me, _Wren_, but you seem to forget who you are speaking with here."

I threw a rag at him, "Oh, sure, throw out your status card on me. Let's not forget that you're the almighty Goblin King, and I'm only _Wren_, the little Aboveground peasant!"

"Yes, I am Goblin King," he said, incredulously, "And most people tend to show me a little respect!" He threw the rag back at me, harder.

I nabbed it up and threw it at his head, "Well, Goblin King, go back to your throne! I'm not one of your subjects, and as a person, I demand respect, too! I told you to get out, now go!"

He caught the rag in the air, throwing it to the ground and vanishing in an angry puff of glitter… which stuck to my wet paint… and stayed there.

I stood there, silent for a moment, before I simply sat down where I was and cried.

* * *

Strange things go through your head when you've had a fight with someone you really care about. Unable to finish my room the night before, I boarded it up and had slept on the couch. That, in turn, made me grumpy the next day for work… and I was already hurting. 

I didn't like fighting with Jareth. Well, I did when it was our good-natured fights, but the way he'd left had hurt me. I wondered if we… if we were finished. That resulted in me coming in to work with red eyes.

I walked in the doors and made my way to my desk, feeling very low. Allie took one look at me (while I was logging in for the day) and grabbed my arm, pulling me back to that corner cube where I hide, from time to time. Pushing me around the corner, I thought about waltzing with Jareth in the cube and fought tears.

She put her hands on my shoulders and looked me in the face. "What's wrong?" she demanded in a hushed whisper.

I shook my head, trying to lie, "Nothing."

"Whatever, Wren. Tell me what's wrong. If you don't, I'll figure it out anyway."

I hung my head, "Really, it's… it's nothing…" when I raised my head, she was eyeing me strangely, her eyes narrowed and one eyebrow raised.

"It's Jareth, isn't it?" she asked quietly, "You guys had a fight."

Eh, what's the point in lying? I nodded my head. She hugged me instantly.

"Don't worry, Wren, it'll be alright," she said soothingly. "Be grateful he's… well, he's not like Donna's husband, you know?"

I frowned at her. Donna was another coworker of mine, who I really didn't know that well. She sat far from me, so I didn't really talk to her much, and she was fairly new to the team. Her cube was actually on the opposite side of the cube Allie and I were standing in. I knew there was an issue with Donna's husband, but I hadn't been listening lately so I didn't know what it all was.

"She'll hear you," I mouthed, motioning to the other side of the cube we were in.

Allie shook her head, "She's not in today."

"Is something wrong?"

Allie nodded, "Yeah – haven't you been listening lately? Over the last six months or so, he suddenly got severely possessive of her, and – well, according to her – he threatened to hurt her if she ever left him for another man. Now, she'd never cheat on him, but she's been living in fear. Last week, she went and filed for divorce, and her husband is getting served today. I mean, be grateful that Jareth isn't like him. From what Donna's said, he's rather vindictive."

My mouth fell open. "You're kidding! So… she's hiding, isn't she?"

Allie shrugged, "I assumed so. I really don't know the whole deal, but Lisa specifically told all of us that he, according to Donna, freaked out. The security guards are on alert here, because he's not supposed to come here… Lisa doesn't think he will, but we're still told to call security if we see him."

I looked at her somewhat blankly. "Well, gee, that helps me. I've never met the man!"

When I finally got back to my desk after talking with Allie for a bit over the incident with Jareth – for which I felt better – I felt kinda hazy. The whole thing with Donna's husband sort of… disturbed me, for whatever reason. It really put me on edge, perhaps because I was the last one to leave at the end of the day, with approximately one hour by myself in the office. What if he came in, looking for her? What if I was just freaking out because I was stressed? Ah, I felt loopy, too.

The day went by in a haze. I had to take down the pictures that resembled Jareth from my cube because they made me want to cry. Once they were gone, I was able to concentrate more, but I still felt a little on the rotten side.

Allie had assured me that couples do fight and argue, it was a natural part of a relationship, but I wasn't used to it. Plus, Jareth and I had never really discussed what we were, anyhow. I couldn't bring myself to call him my 'boyfriend'… it sounded so childish! 'The Goblin King is my boyfriend' – dear me, that is _not_ something I wanted to say… even though that's what it felt like he was. We didn't even really date – he'd never specifically taken me anywhere, and I'd never taken him out. We just… were.

Sooner than I would have cared, the end of the day rolled around, and I was alone in the office. Determined not to let my paranoia, or my sadness, get the better of me, I cranked up my headphones to a happy tune. It wasn't working, but it allowed me to work without thinking about the room being so quiet.

And someone tapped me on the shoulder. I jumped slightly and turned to face the man behind me.

I eyed the man for just a second. He seemed nice. He was tall and slim, a slightly older man who looked really tired… _Nah,_ I thought, _This can't be Donna's husband. Donna's husband would be crazed with ugly hair or something, right? _"Can I help you, sir?"

He sighed and smiled at me, "Yes, I was wondering if you worked in this department?"

"Me?" I grinned, "Yes, sir, I do. Do you have a question I can help you with?"

His smile faded, "Yes. Where's my wife?"

My eyes went huge. "Excuse me?"

He put up a hand, "Look, I just want to talk to her. She's been avoiding me, and I don't know why, and then I get served divorce papers. Can you just tell me where she is?"

I swallowed and slowly started to reach for my phone… or, rather, the speed dial button with Security's extension. "Who are you talking about, sir?"

He rolled his eyes, "Donna, my _wife_," he said wife sharply, and I jumped without meaning to. "I just… I just want to talk to her! She won't answer my calls on her cell. Please, just tell me where she is."

I swallowed and tried not panic. In reality, I was scared spit-less. I nodded and reached for my phone. Perhaps he'd let me 'call Donna'… and I could actually call Security. What freak let this man in the building!

"Just a minute, let me see if I can figure that out for you…" I reached to finger the speed dial button…

He saw me.

"No – _don't_ do that!" he said, kicking the side of my cube. I screeched and dropped the phone, leapt from the cube and ran to the far end of my row, away from him.

"Get out of here!" I said, loudly. "GET OUT!" I was shaking from head to toe.

The man looked like I'd grown a second head or something, "I'm sorry about kicking you're cube, okay? I just want to know where-"

"I don't know where she is!" I screeched again, backing up as he advanced towards me, "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO BE IN HERE!"

The man's face grew hard, "I have a _right_ to my _wife_!"

I was ready to scream – just flatly scream – when there was a small explosion behind the man. Fearing the worst, I did scream and fell to my knees, my hands over my head. The man whirled around to see what had happened… and that's when I saw it.

There was glitter on the floor.

From my place on the floor, I looked up, too overwhelmed with too many emotions, and saw a very fearsome looking Goblin King, in full armor and cape and glitter, glaring menacingly at the man. What was his name? Wayne? Something like that. I don't remember. We'll call him Wayne.

Wayne drew back in fear as Jareth advanced on him, much as I had done only a few minutes earlier. I watched with mild fascination, and shock, as Jareth reached out, snatching Wayne up by the collar and drew him within an inch of his face, which was twisted with rage.

Jareth's face even scared me. I'd never seen him so angry, like, ever. Well… once, I saw him close to it… in the ballroom, when I'd run the Labyrinth.

"In case you haven't noticed," Jareth said, his voice a deadly whisper, "Your _wife_ isn't here. This young lady, who is _not_ your wife, and who you have NO RIGHT to _frighten_, asked you to leave. _I_ am now suggesting you take her advice."

With an elegant spin, Jareth turned both him and Wayne around, placing himself between Wayne and I. With a snarl, and still holding onto Wayne's collar at arms length, he raised a boot and shoved Wayne away with it, causing him to topple over and land flat on his back.

I didn't see where it came from, but I saw a crystal pop over Wayne's head. The man quickly sat up, swore about trash cans in the isles and got to his feet. "Okay, okay," he said to someone we couldn't see, (who it appeared he thought was over his shoulder) "I'm leaving! Just wanted to find Donna…" and he continued muttering to no one as he left the building… as if he'd never seen me at all.

Once he was gone, Jareth fell to his knees in front of me and gathered me in his arms. I let him, and started crying on his shoulder. My face embedded in his shirt (where did the armor go? Meh, it didn't matter. He was, after all, the Goblin King) felt so good…

After a long while, he drew back and lifted my chin, examining my face.

"Oh, my Wren," he said, concern and sorrow etched on his face, "Did that heathen harm you in any way?"

I shook my head while Jareth brushed my tears away with his gloved fingers, "No, he didn't-"

"He could have," he whispered, more to himself than me.

I shook my head again, "I don't know that for sure. He was upset and I'd had a terribly bad day… when he came at me, I broke…"

The sorrow returned to his face, "That's my fault, isn't it?"

"No," I said. He shook his head, not believing me.

"Wren," he started, "I am so sorry for how I acted yesterday…"

I stared at him, unbelieving, "What? You're… sorry? You don't… hate me?"

"Hate!" his eyes widened and his mouth fell slightly, "No, dearling, never! I could never hate you!" his voice fell, as did his eyes, "Can you forgive me, dearest Wren?"

I wrapped my arms around his neck, burying my face in his hair as I did so, "We were both out of line, Jareth," I said to his hair. "I forgive you… can you forgive me, too?"

He pulled me back and gave me a slight smirk, saying, "Do you even need to ask it?" before kissing me.

"Jareth," I said suddenly, pulling away (as much as I didn't want to), "What about Wayne? He saw you!"

He waved a hand dismissively, "He won't remember it, or you. All he remembers is a security guard – a devilishly handsome security guard," he waggled his eyebrows at me (I laughed in spite of my mood), "Who caught him when he tripped over a trash can, and then promptly escorted him from the premises."

I raised an eyebrow at him, "So, why bother with the show, then?"

"Show? What show?"

I shrugged, "Appearing in full armor, the glitter, the threat… why not just make him leave?"

A sly smile touched his lips, "I wasn't thinking," he shrugged, "I saw you in fear and made a rash move," one slender hand dramatically placed itself on his chest, "I'm afraid I'm a very territorial sort of creature, my dear, and simply couldn't stop myself from making a show of things."

I leaned down, brushed his hand aside and rested my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, "Thank you, Jareth."

I felt him stroke my hair, and heard a soft, somewhat somber, "Anything for you, my Wren."

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I didn't do anymore work. Instead, I rested against Jareth until time for me to log out and go home. We hadn't said anything all that time – eh, we didn't need to. Not really. When it came time to leave, though, he offered to take me home, directly, but I did have my car to drive home. So, he agreed to meet me in my room. 

I drove up to my home much faster than expected, with the nagging suspicion that a certain Goblin King had helped with traffic… somehow… I don't know how…

I came in the front door to find a note from my mother, basically saying that she was staying at my grandparents to help them with irrigation, and dad was working way late tonight. So… the house was mine. Fun.

I dropped my bag and keys and made my way to my room – I was dreading entering the room again, to work on clearing the mess with the glitter that had stuck to the paint. I slowly opened the door… and gasped. The glitter was gone…

Then I started laughing, near hysterically, at the sight before me.

"I take it back, Wren. I hate you," Jareth said, one hand on his hip, the other holding a paint roller on a stick, like a staff of some sort. "Stop that laughing!"

Okay, so he knew I didn't want magic to paint with. I think he figured that meant no magic at all while painting. So, I suppose to keep himself from getting dirty, he'd donned what looked suspiciously like a leopard-print jumpsuit and a funky turban thing around his head and hair. I slumped against the doorjamb, laughing.

"Wren! Stop that laughing!" he stomped a foot (I couldn't figure out what he was wearing on his feet… slippers? Something like that) and the paint roller extension stick slipped on a drip of paint on the floor, and the roller itself wobbled and slapped him in the face, leaving a white smudge across his face…

Oh, yes, there was no stopping the laughter now…

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**A/N: Ah, I had to let Jareth play hero. Couldn't help it. I hope this is satisfactory… **

**!ATTENTION EVERYONE - SPECIAL AUTHOR'S NOTE/WARNING: Okay, I have something very special planned for next chapter. Very special. You'll have to wait and see… so, be sure to Review, okay? In a way, you'll get to participate if you do – no, not bribery, just planning. I need reviews to make it it's very best. Also… as a slight warning, everyone be prepared for severe snarkiness. And, I do mean Severe. But PLEASE review! It will be awesome!**

**Hint? What, you all want a hint? Fine! Here's a hint : Fanfictions return!**

**Muaahahaha!**

**Love ya!**

**-Marti**


	13. Another, Far More Accurate, Chapter

**Disclaimer: I own only Wr-me. I do not own Jareth, even though it is painfully obvious that I wish I did. But, it is as I always say to him, people cannot own other people, it is just not right. **

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****My music recommendations for this chapter:**

**_Naked_ by… Bugger! I forgot the name…**

**This music recommendation thing is stupid anyway – moving onward!**

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It was a typical day for me. I was at my working establishment, slaving in front of a silly, glowing computer monitor and feeling horribly bored to death. My job is so very boring. A monkey could do it. But, as it is that I need to have money to do anything of value or interest, and the almighty company that I work for pays me in what I do, I continue to work for them. 

_Gracious me_, I was so bored that the only thing I could do to keep from nodding off on the spot was to dream of that sexy beast, Jareth. Even though I am very stubborn in the belief that people cannot own other people, I do like to think that he's _mine_ – yes, I know that is very hypocritical of me, but he's just so dashing, it is very difficult for me to be otherwise. He is just so handsome with his spiky hair, mystical eyes and strong arms. I _just cannot help_ but be somewhat possessive of him.

And, _heavens_, despite the fact that I do see that ruggedly good-looking Goblin King every spare minute that he has, I have trouble dreaming of him without assistance. Perhaps my mind's eye is in need of corrective lenses. I do not really understand this issue. Anyhow, as I was saying, I need assistance, and so, as I have stated previously, I took to slathering my working station with pictures of that Bowie fellow, who only vaguely resembles Jareth.

That movie which he stars in about Jareth – I really need to tell him more about that – is rather inaccurate… from what _Jareth_ tells me. They did portray the Labyrinth with fair accuracy, but unfortunately that Bowie character is _all_ wrong. Aside from the similarities in facial structure, attire, voice, eye coloration, eye markings, and mannerisms, he isn't much like the real thing. The real, and far more dashing, Jareth has broader, stronger shoulders and whiter teeth. And have you seen his skin? Very different texture, I assure you.

And, _goodness me_, I am not the only one to notice this about… my cubicle. My very astute coworker, Allie, noticed this as well. It was while I was sitting there, staring at one of said pictures rather than doing my actual job, that Allie decided to comment upon it.

"Wren," Allie said to me as she approached, "I don't get it. What's with, you know, all these printed pictures?"

I sighed, "It's the closest I have to the real thing… while I'm here, I mean."

Allie shrugged, "Why don't you ask him for a real one? You did get a digital camera, not long ago, right?"

I frowned, making my little face scrunch, "Something tells me he wouldn't be up for it. I… I really don't know, I never thought to ask him to pose for a picture."

Allie scrunched her face, though not as cute as me, saying, "Don't tell him to pose. Just ask to take his picture. He'll give you more than you ask for if you ask him to _pose_."

I had been very generous in considering Allie as a confidant for… myself. Er… _Jareth_ was _also_ very generous regarding me having someone to talk with about my experiences - I do not say it enough, but he really is quite generous to me. Allie had been the most suited for accepting the circumstances. Also, she had seemed to be instantly taken and impressed with Jareth – an appropriate and natural reaction. So far, she'd been exceedingly logical. So… what is wrong with posing?

I laughed, merely to humor her, "Good point… he'd like that too much. I'll bring it up to him when I get home."

And then I went back to staring and dreaming… only this time, of Jareth, the _real_ Jareth, in all sorts of _interesting_ poses… not that I would ever admit that to him, or to Allie. Or out loud at all.

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_Heavens, _the rest of the day went by in an excruciatingly slow daze for me. One of my coworkers – whatever her name is – said something stupid which made me laugh, out of pity, and then that man I sit near said something back to the woman and everyone laughed… it was really not that interesting. 

When the day was finished, at long last, I drove home through all that wretched, smelly traffic and staggered through the door into the home that I share with my family. They, like the traffic, are often wretched and smelly. Especially that sister Orla, who is more often than not a very meddling and bothersome individual. But, she does not, thankfully, live at home anymore.

My family was not home when I arrived. They were gone… doing… something… oh, it doesn't matter. They are always out, which is a good thing, as it gives me _private_ time with one said Goblin King.

So, near exhaustion from slaving away at work on a computer which undoubtedly sucks away my life bit by bit, I came through the door, hoping to find the one thing that revives me: Jareth. _Heavens_! Without him, I would most likely shrivel and wither away into nothingness.

"Jareth?" I called out, "You here?" My often-atrocious English is a direct result of my life being sucked away.

In a flash of incredibly masculine and glittering particles, _not_ messy and overly theatrical as I often claim, he appeared, looking as dashing as ever. I nearly simpered. But, as usual, I did not let him know that.

"Ah, hello, dear Wren," he said in that oh-so-sexy voice of his, striding up to me with a sway in his hips that made me blush and look adorable. "How was your day at work?"

I proceeded to delineate my day to him. I only did so because he asked me to, not because it was actually interesting. Being as how it was mostly the same as it is every day, it did not take very long. The most difficult part was in keeping myself from getting lost in his very presence. It is, after all, so very alluring. _Gosh_!

We sat in my living room – and is that not the silliest name? No one actually lives in it – and he began to tell me of his current problems with some goblins getting into the Fiery Forest and causing all sorts of mayhem there, and how absolutely wretched it is to sort that out… it takes quite a bit to get a Fiery truly angry, but the goblins have somehow managed to do it, and once they are truly angry it is even more difficult to calm them down and still keep your outfit in one piece. But I didn't listen to a word of what he had to say to me, as I was concentrating on my – his – face.

"Wren," he flatly asked me, lounging backwards on the couch, opposite of where I was lounging as well, and began to play with my feet. I giggled because I like it when he touches my toes. "Did you hear a word of that?"

I nodded, clearly lying to him, "I did…"

"But?"

I smiled a very sweet smile, one that often makes him forget about the lie, "I was just thinking about something Allie mentioned today."

"And what, my dearling, would that be?" he grinned, tracing circles on the top of my foot, giving me shivers, "You seem to be… avoiding the subject."

I met his eyes, "You've seen my cube, haven't you?"

He ground out a sigh. He does _not_ like that workstation. It is demeaning – and the way she plasters it with those absurd photos! They look _nothing_ like m… Jareth.

"Yes, I have." He stopped playing with my feet, and I pouted a little. "Are you going to bring up something about that Bogart fellow?"

"Bowie, GK," I said, using that annoying nickname for no good reason, "It's Bowie, not Bogart."

He growled a little at the name, "Whatever,"

I sighed, "Okay… hold it, don't go bringing Bowie into this. There's no need to get upset over that again."

"You," he said, pointing a well-deserved finger at her, "Are obsessed with that man."

She scoffed, "I am not! Gosh! I like his voice, okay?"

"As if I am unable to sing," he drawled sarcastically.

"And," she went on, as if she hadn't heard him at all – though clearly she had! – "The only reason why I put those pictures up is because they're so much like you…"

"They are _not_!" he was very indignant. He folded his arms across his muscular chest in order to emphasize his point.

"… and I don't have one of you. That's my point – will you, like, _not _argue with me for five seconds – and stop pulling those faces at me!" She pushed his legs off the couch – something that was completely uncalled for, because he was not pulling faces at her. Kings do not _pull faces_.

And then she did it. She got to her feet, dashed to her bedroom in a most undignified – but adorable and rather endearing – way and returned a moment later with her contraption in hand.

"Jareth…" she started off in a guilty way, like a small child who is about to ask for something they cannot have, "I've never asked you… but… can I…can I take you're picture?"

His eyes went hard, "Completely out of the question, Wren. No, absolutely not."

She looked as though she had been slapped across the face, "Wha… why?"

Jareth glared at the silver box in her hands, "I prefer to keep all of my soul, thank you. Photographs, as you call them, steal parts of your soul away, over time. Due to the fact that I am the ruler of a Kingdom, even a goblin one, I cannot allow that to happen."

She scoffed, "What a load of hooey! They do not! And, GK, I'm not asking for millions of photos, I'm asking for one picture! Just one!"

He glared at her, his temper rising, "You seem to forget Wren, that I am Fae. It may take millions of photographs for non-Fae folk to lose anything at all, but I am not willing to risk it – it could have a terribly adverse affect on me."

She squinted and frowned, "Jareth, pictures do not steal your soul anymore than a painting does. We don't lose our souls, okay?"

"Oh, really now?" he said, his handsome eyebrows rising, "Look at that Booty person,"

"BOWIE!"

"_Fine_, Bolly," he waved a hand dismissively, "Look at all the thousands of photographs he has had taken. You cannot honestly look at him and convince me that he has not lost part of his soul somewhere."

She gritted her teeth and groaned, "Okay, first of all, you suck with names – did you know that? I mean, seriously, you are about the worst person with names, like, _ever_. It's a wonder you even remember your own! Second of all, I told you to not to bring him into this. Third of all, I… I just don't get you."

Her English was having another atrocious moment, and he didn't quite understand what she meant by that. This, as usual, she did not notice, and went on with her rant.

"You get so mad that I have those pictures up, but I've told you millions of times that the only reason I do have them up at all is because they are the ones that remind me of you – and you are the one I like to look at! So, okay, fine, I want to see your smile while I'm at work, is that such a crime? So, I realize this hurts you, and I think about taking a photo of you to replace those ones that aren't you, and you say no. You have to give me something here, Jareth! Either not get all freaked by the Bowie pictures I have, or let me have one of you!" She threw her hands up in the air. "I can't take this anymore!"

"Wren," he snapped, losing his patience, "I care about you, and no matter what the resemblance is, I cannot possibly ignore and condone you looking at another male – you should know this. You know full well that you would be furious if I had sketches of women, even if they looked like you! At the same time, I do not wish to have a _photo_ taken of me – I am tired of explaining this to you! Why is it you cannot simply accept my wishes on this matter?"

Throwing her self onto the couch in an extremely overdramatic display, she curled up in a small ball and looked away from him, "I'll accept it, but… I get nothing, then?"

Oh, why does she have to do that? No King could bear to hear her voice and see that sorrow… the mere fact that she wasn't arguing back or becoming violent was a sign that she really was upset.

He thought quickly… putting a hand on her shoulder, "What if I posed for you?"

Instantly, her shoulders began to shake with mirth, almost to the point of hysteria. She struggled to sit up, and looked at him, "Jareth… you already do pose… every chance you get! Ahahaha!" she fell over laughing. He was not amused.

Slapping her shoulder, only lightly, he brought her back to the moment at hand. "I am not joking Wren. I have seen your work. You are a decent artist…" Why was this difficult to say? He didn't understand why… "I am willing to sit for you, and allow you to draw me."

He got the desired effect. She sat up and looked at him eagerly, a happy light in her sweet eyes, "Really? You would do that? _Can_ you do that?"

He snorted, in the most noble and dignified way, "Of course I can. I am, after all, the Goblin King."

She rolled her eyes, not so sweetly, "That's not what I meant. I was asking if you could physically do that. You get restless. I know you. You can hardly sit on your throne for longer than a few minutes before needing to get up and dance around. Would you really sit, and hold still for me?"

"Upon my honor," he said, getting to his feet and sweeping in a low bow to her, "Should it bring you joy, I am more than pleased, my Wren, to sit for you, for as long as it takes to produce a likeness that will set a smile to your face."

She leapt into his arms, throwing her own around his neck and kissing him with a deep and fiery passion, driving him to think of things to say to her that would make her agitated… such as:

"Which chair do you recommend for a _nude_ sitting?" he said into her ear, deeply rumbling his voice.

She punched his shoulder hard and he grinned wickedly.

Ages later, he sat on a most ridiculous stool while Wren skittered a pencil across some white parchment in an oddly bound book. Admittedly, it had seemed like a good idea in the beginning, but unfortunately Wren is not the speediest of artists. She is decent in what she draws, many of her works showing adept skill, but… the Goblin King was obviously distracting her. It is perfectly natural for him to be distracting, but why did she have to sketch at such a slow rate?

"Ja-reth!" she said, rolling her eyes, "Stop fussing with your cuffs!"

He had been kind enough to go and change his outfit into her favorite – the blue formal suit – but the gloves were annoying him today. The cuffs were not sitting correctly… or, perhaps he was just getting tired of sitting. No, it had to be the cuffs.

"You are taking far too long, Wren," he said, ignoring her protests and straightening a cuff anyway – it was just so _irritating. _

She rolled her eyes again, "You've been sitting on that stool for no more than an hour – barely even forty minutes, if that. I'm being nice and simply getting the basics done so you can move around for a bit before I just have you sit so I can get the shading right…"

"You're too meticulous."

She gave him a stare, "Did you, or did you not swear to hold still for me?"

I found my teeth grinding, "I did. I did not, however, think you would be this fussy."

"The more _you_ fuss, the longer this will take, GK,"

The straw that broke the goblin's back – that was it.

He threw my hands in the air, "Wren! Aaargh! You see me every bloody day! I come and visit you every opportunity I have! Why – in the name of the Underground – do you need a picture of me to stare at, when you often stare at the real thing!"

She threw her eraser at the King – her _eraser_! "You mungo jerk! Do you think I don't know what you do when you can't visit me? Huh? I know! I don't see you every single days, there are some days when you're too busy, and I completely respect that, but you – ha – you have your crystals! You can see me anytime you want! I, a mere mortal, don't have that luxury!"

I love it when she gets angry… That spicy fire lights behind her eyes and she's just seething to where her face goes pink…

"On the contrary, my dear, there are plenty of times when I am unable to see you – mostly out of sheer courtesy…"

Her eyes went huge, "You DO spy on me! I KNEW IT!"

That wench tricked me! "You deceitful minx!" I stormed off the stool and approached her, "How dare you make an assumption like that! I do not spy on you! I watch you from time to time because-"

She balled her fists at her side and glared at me without fear, "Can the flattery, you friggin' perv! When do you spy on me?"

"WHEN I FEAR YOU MAY BE IN DANGER, FOR STARTERS," I roared, unable to stop myself. Did she not see how difficult it was for me to keep an eye on her? I do have duties to attend to in the Underground… and yet I fear for her so. She's so fragile…

Her eyes widened in curiosity, her face going pink, "But what about the bathroom, eh? Or the shower?"

"Never!" I then I could not resist her any longer. When her usually cherubic features harden and steel with anger I see the passion behind her convictions rise with it, and it is far too tempting for me.

I crushed my lips to hers, holding her close and effectively silencing her. Fortunately – or perhaps unfortunately – her anger fades at such affection and she began to melt in my arms… literally. Her knees went weak and I had to catch her and steady her.

Oh, that sexy beast… wait… I… Wren… bloody hell.

Fine! Hang you all! Yes, as you well know, it is I, Jareth, King of the Goblins.

It recently came to my attention that Wren has been writing and posting little 'stories' about us. Oh yes, I am fully aware of them. She really brought this on herself, in insisting that I read other stories of a similar nature – all completely absurd, I must say – and in doing so, revealed to me what she does with so much of her spare time. I am more than encouraging towards the nurturing of her writing abilities, but this nonsense is ridiculously outrageous and terribly biased. While she does base these 'episodes' on fact, they are all highly misleading, inaccurate, and one-sided. Therefore, I felt it necessary to bring you all a _true_ account of some of our dealings.

So, as I was saying, my strong arms caught her deftly and placed her back onto the couch, where she had been sketching me. Quickly – perhaps a little too quickly, after such a kiss from one such as I – she sat up and presented me with her drawing. I sat elegantly beside her.

It was just as she had said, and I do confess that it was rather well drawn. It was merely an outline of my physique, a few details sketched in here and there, but rather plain and unadorned.

Then… I saw her face. Once again, her sweet eyes were cast with sorrow. Curse her! Why must she torture me with those beguiling eyes?

While I did have several things I could think of to say to her, right away, I decided to say something simple. Why burden her with more thought on the problems at hand? "I do not spy on you, Wren," I said, utterly sure of myself.

She shook her head, still looking at the drawing, "I… I'm sorry. I was stressed out… I know you wouldn't spy on me. For all your haughtiness, you are a gentleman."

Finally! The girl made some sense! I grinned at her, "Did you just say I have 'hottiness'?"

A small smile, not nearly large enough, touched her face. "Gosh, someone is full of themselves-" that, I add, is completely false! "-today. I said _haughty_, as in snobbery."

"Oh." I watched as she eyed the drawing in front of her. I sighed… my vow had been broken. I was honor-bound to make amends.

"Wren," I said, gently taking her sketchbook from her hands, "I am sorry. I did agree to sit for you. I ruined your lovely sketch. Let me… ah, let me fix it."

I conjured a crystal as I sat the drawing on my knees, rubbing the crystal across the bright paper, much akin to how Wren uses her eraser… the eraser that she'd _thrown_ at me.

As I did so, the crystal began to fill in the drawing with all the details Wren would have intended to place in, even making a few minor – and I do mean minor – changes where needed. Despite the simplistic appearance of such magic, it is quite complicated, I assure you.

When I had finished, the result was uncanny, if I do say so myself.

Wren's eyes lit up again at my work. I couldn't help but smile as she snuggled into my arms, resting her head on my chest and embraced me tightly.

"Thank you," she said in a whisper, before completely ruining the moment by adding, "You beefed yourself up a bit, I noticed."

I looked down at her, utterly appalled, "I did not! This is my likeness, exactly."

She snorted into my jacket, "Whatever you say. I love it, regardless. I'll take it to work with me, and hang it in my cube. I can say I drew it if anyone asks, and then I can look at it and see you."

Oh, she was a master at changing the subject, but I decided to take the 'higher road' and not bring it up. Now that the issue had finally been resolved, I brought up the more important subject.

"Then you can take down those Bogie pictures, I assume?"

She shook her head – that rottenly stubborn woman! – "Not all of them. Just a few…"

Ah, Wren will be returning from work soon. I had better finish this. You all know how it would end. I swept her off her feet once again, kissing her soundly for a long time, and so on, and so forth.

And so you now have the truth behind half of her words. I hope that clarifies things in the future…

But, I do confess that there is an issue of this ongoing _fanficion addiction_ my Wren has. The more you review, the more she writes, and the less time she has to spend with… other people who are far more important. Therefore, I hereby request that you do not encourage her further. She may try to dissuade you from this, asking you to review so she can "make it better" and whatnot, but I tell you, her time is better spent elsewhere.

In short, stop encouraging her. I do not appreciate it. It makes her write more… and with increasingly hideous inaccuracies, as I am sure you will note from here on out, thanks to my input here at last.

Well, I believe that covers everything…

All I need now is a simple crystal to seal this entry, preventing Wren from changing it…

Thank you all for your time- do forgive my deception earlier, for it was necessary at the time. I am sure you all have the capability of being logical, and understanding that much. Now… go on and go back to your lives and hobbies and families, whatever and wherever they maybe.

Respectfully signed,

King Jareth of the Underground

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Oh, yes, and here are those pitiful comments she insists on placing in these things.

**DanikaLareyna: Are you insane? Ah, I recognize your name… Yes, I am certain you are. Pray tell, WHAT is so humorous about leopard-print, as you call it? Both you and Wren… for the love of the Underground, stop laughing! Oh, yes, you are mentally unstable if you think I would even consider doing a 'bounce-dance'. Dear me, the images that conjures… (shudders). And since when am I your possession? I AM THE GOBLIN KING, NO ONE OWNS ME! Bloody hell, I am beginning to sound like Wren…**

**Anij: At last, someone with a little sense. Why, yes, now that you mention it, I _am_ good at being a hero. No, not you, too – what is so funny about the jumpsuit? I shall have to ask Wren later on that. You are right, I would NOT appreciate it. And, what do you mean with all these letters? Lmao is not a word, I'm afraid to tell you. Blast, I'll have to ask Wren on that, too. **

**Yami Moon: WHY is that so funny? I – ah – pfft – does the entire Aboveground assume I am incapable of painting? And fluff, what's fluff? _Chappie_? That is… nevermind. I shouldn't even start on that. For the life of me, I cannot understand why Wren gets so upset when I _tell _her to do something, but she instantly complies to all your petty demands… If I _weren't _on a mission here, I would flatly refuse to acknowledge you at all.**

**Sanoru: Well, really now, did you expect me to just leave her in danger? I'm not an idiot… no matter what Wren says. Don't listen to her. My rugged good looks cloud her judgement, somewhat. All the same, I shall tell her you said well done. **

**Notwritten: At least you didn't go on about that bloody jumpsuit – I thank you for that. What does it mean? It means that I, Jareth, the Goblin King, am going to fight back against this insanity! THAT is what it means! **

**Victoria: I am very glad you like Wren's work, but let us all hope that she will not spend so much time on her computer, and more time with me. **


	14. JARETH! What have you DONE!

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, with the exception of Wren – she's mine! You can't have her! Unless, of course, you're an (ahem) Underground Royal… yeah…**

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****Anij: Ah, wouldn't it be nice to have portrait of the GK? I think so... Perhaps I'll work on that one here...**

**Yami Moon: Yeah, that is a Celine song... unfortunately, it's the only song Jareth really knows of - for the time being. That will be changing later... but he just can't remember names! He really is quite bad with them...**

**Notwritten: Ah, I 'm so glad you liked it!**

**DanikaLareyna: Oh, yes, Wren is going to make him suffer for this one... somehow... haven't decided how yet... working on it...**

**Kat: Good question. He may, in time… but for now, no. Wren's not ready. Well, not really about her parents, but Orla. She's way too nosy for her own good. No, Wren doesn't give up… well, rarely. Thanks for the review! I'm excited to see a new reviewer!**

**Adelaide Holmes: Whoohoo! You sound like me. If I had the chance, I could watch it over and over. Seriously, I could. Oh, the Labyrinth novelization was written by A.C.H. Smith, but good luck getting your hands on a copy. It's rare and hard to find. I had to pay a lot for my copy of it… and I still have to fix it up before I can really read it, as it's in shabby condition. I would try Ebay for one… that's where I got mine. **

**Sanoru: I think he should be proud of Wren, too. I think he is... but, you know... he's also conceited, so he just may not say so. Half the time, I don't know what he's thinking.**

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****A/N: Okay, now that things are (ahem) back to normal around here, I have to give a HUGE – and I do mean HUGE – thank you to Danika for her help and advice on the last chapter. I don't think I could have done it without her Jareth-ness expertise and her excellent beta-skills. She was a wonderful help, but also way incredibly fun to work with – so thanks again, babe! Love ya!****

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****And, let's see… How about some ACTUAL music recommendations?**

**_Invisible_ by Clay Aiken – this reminds me of Jareth, for some reason. **

**_Measure of a Man_ also by Clay Aiken – ditto. Dunno why…**

**_Head Over Heels_ by the Go-go's – hee… this kinda works with this chapter – a lot!**

**_Thursday's Child_ by David Bowie – love this song. No idea why, but I do. **

**Okay! There we go! Now… on with the story!**

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The first thing that I noticed were the emails in my inbox. What were all these people talking about? New chapter? What? I hadn't posted anything lately, as I'd had finals to finish for my online classes… what the heck was going on?**

Then I got to the email that stated my new chapter – the one I had NEVER written – was posted successfully. I clicked on the link, and read what was before me. My mouth fell open.

I…

He…

"JARETH!" I screamed, frantically logging into my account, trying to delete the chapter. It denied me… saying there was an error… I tried everything, but no good. It wouldn't let me touch that chapter, either edit it or delete it.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!"

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I never counted crystals faster in my life.

I tore down the hallway of the Goblin Castle, searching for him. Recently, I'd noticed that I could kinda tell where he was after using my ring… probably similar to how he was notified whenever I arrive in the Underground. But, really, that wasn't what I was thinking about at the moment.

Currently, strangling the Goblin King was all I had on my mind.

I skidded around the corner – having not thought to wear more than my own socks on my feet when I'd hastily come after him - spotting him just as he came out of two double doors.

"YOU!" I growled, pointing at finger at him.

He saw me and blanched, quickly turning back around and going into the doors through which he'd just came. I ran at the doors, skidding just before I reached them and slid past them while he closed them and locked the doors.

I got my bearing and approached the doors again. I tried the knobs first, in case I had misheard that tell-tale click of the locks, then pounded on the doors with my fists.

"OPEN THESE DOORS!" I bellowed, simply furious.

"No, I would rather not," came a muffled voice from the inside.

"OPEN THEM RIGHT NOW, JARETH! I SWEAR I WILL POUND THE DOOR DOWN!"

There was a pause, "Not until you have calmed yourself, Wren," said the muffled voice again.

I felt my eye twitch. I had told him, back when I first met him, that I could be a terrible nag. Now, he was going to see why.

"Fine," I said, semi-calm, "You won't open the door, so I get to show you how annoying – and unavoidable – I can be!"

I took a huge breath and balled my fists at my sides. Jareth had, unfortunately, not truly seen the power of my lungs or my high-pitched voice. He was in for it now.

"WHAT RIGHT DO YOU HAVE TO GET INTO MY PERSONAL COMPUTER WHILE I'M AT WORK AND PUT UP A BUNCH OF HOOEY TO THE ENTIRE INTERNET? I AM SO FURIOUS WITH YOU! YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST HIDE FROM ME? HA, I DON'T THINK SO, GOBLIN BOY! JUST YOU WAIT, I SWEAR I WILL NOT LET THIS UP ANYTIME SOON! GET YOUR PITIFUL ARSE OUT HERE AND FACE ME, YOU FRIGGIN COWARDLY JERK, BEFORE I START SINGING THE MOST OBNOXIOUS DAVID BOWIE SONGS I CAN POSSBILY THINK OF! AND DON'T THINK I WON'T-"

Both doors flew open, rattling against their hinges, revealing a wide-eyed Goblin King.

"_Hold your tongue, you wretched thing_!" he hissed, furiously.

My mouth snapped shut, instantly. How could he yell at me? He was the one who had invaded MY privacy, and then was the one HIDING from ME. And he was telling ME to be quiet?

Okay, fine. I'd be perfectly silent.

But first…

I squeezed my mouth shut tightly, even though I just wanted to flatly scream at him, and pulled up my hand.

The hand with my ring on it.

His anger seemed to fade, and he gave me a curious look that was also a little afraid – as if I was going to slap him. Ha, no, I don't like slapping people. Not when, you know, I can throw something at them instead.

It hurt my feelings to do it, because I love my ring, and the fact that he gave it to me, but I was more hurt that he didn't seem to notice a problem with what he'd done. And, yes, I knew that doing what I was about to do kinda limited my means of getting back home, but… I wanted an apology, and wasn't going to leave without it.

I pulled my ring off and threw it at him.

He made a kind of yelp noise, and I heard the ring ricochet off the doors, but I didn't see if it hit him or not. I ran away, feeling tears fall down my face. No, I wasn't sad, but when I can't scream, and I really want to, I cry instead. It's gotta come out somewhere.

I just tore off down the corridor, not caring where I ended up. I turned this way and that, slightly aware that he had started to follow me, just running… and then, after quite a while, I noticed that my stomach lurched, and I was facing an upside-down archway…

Somehow, I'd run to the Escher room. Ah, fine. Whatever. I really didn't care where I was.

I walked up three flights of stairs, across a wall, down into an archway, finally crouching down and sitting myself with my back to a wall. Or was it a floor? It was hard to tell, with that room being how it always is, and me being out of breath. On the ceiling, I saw Jareth run in, upside down. Or was it me that was wrong side up? There was a funky moment where he looked at me, and I felt strangely like I was going to fall. I got to my feet, queasily, and walked around a corner away from him and down some stairs. I sat at the foot of the stairs, my elbows on my knees and my face in my hands. This room really got to me if I thought about it too much… or stayed in it too long…

"Wren, come here,"

I pulled my hands away from my face to see Jareth, extending a hand towards me from a wall to my left. He knew I had trouble with this room. But, I ignored his hand, got to my feet and marched up the stairs.

"Wren," he whined.

I grinned. But, I didn't let him see that.

I went through another archway and down two flights of stairs, quickly staggering over to stand on the wall instead, as they were freaking me out without guardrails. I flipped upside-down to march on the underside of the wall I had just been standing on – not the best of ideas, I swear – and found a corner to stare into, where I couldn't get any dizzier than I already was.

I sat in the corner like a child in time out. Not exactly the most dignified place, but it was more dignified than loosing my stomach all over some stairs and stuff.

Black boots appeared on the wall, next to my face. I looked up to see Jareth standing on one wall of the corner, and leaning against the other…

Oh, man, I wanted to barf.

I sealed my lips tighter and focused on my own flip-flops and the wall I was sitting on.

"Wren," he started, "Please… do not act this way…"

I said nothing. He'd told me to shut it, and so it was staying shut.

There was a pause. "Wren? Will you… speak to me?"

I said nothing.

"Shout at me?" his voice was pleading.

I still said nothing.

"Sing an obnoxious Bowie song?"

Yup, still nothing.

He sighed, "Wren, please… you are angry with me, are you not?"

Despite my queasiness, I looked up at him – he was now crouching down, and his face was right above mine, even though he was technically standing on the wall beside me – and rolled my eyes.

He nodded with a sigh, "You are upset with me for using magic to break into your computer and into your Internet writing account, and for creating an addition to your work without your knowledge..."

I pulled up my knees and buried my face in my arms.

"Did you ever consider how I felt about _you_ posting stories about me? And incorrect ones, at that?"

Nothing, nothing, nothing!

"Wren, please say something,"

Ha, not on your life, buddy.

His voice sounded very small, "I have your ring… it is still yours, Wren…" A hand appeared in my vision extending my ring to me. Looking at it made me cry. I reached up a hand and flicked it away from me. It clinked around the room before it finally, somehow, bounced back to Jareth. He frowned and pocketed it. "I guess I shall keep it for you, for now, then…"

I sniffed, watery. My nose was starting to run. I was too busy to really care about my nose, though, and was doing my best to concentrate on breathing, in and out… in and out…

I hate the Escher room. Who's idea was it to build such a stupid place, anyway? I tried to make a note to ask Jareth, when I was speaking to him again.

"Wren," he said, his voice softer than before, and very close to me. I felt his hand reach under my chin and lift my eyes to his – which only proceeded to make me go green in the face, "Please allow me to take you back to the throne room. You are looking… ill."

Curse my own stubbornness. I gritted my teeth and glared at him… but I wasn't going to last much longer in the room. I closed my eyes tightly and frowned, but nodded. I stuck my hands out to him blindly, silently asking for help.

Instead, though, he took me in his arms, lifting me straight up – how he did it, in regards to both gravity and his own personal strength, I still don't know – with one arm under my legs and the other under my arms and around my back. I clung tightly to his neck, burying my face in his shoulder and hair, doing my best to hide the view of the room from my eyes. I felt him take a few steps, then he sat my feet down on some surface (I didn't dare look) and pulled me close where I buried my face into his chest and shirt, again to hide from the wretched room. With a final lurch that made my head spin, he released me and I opened my eyes…

To find us back in the throne room, with up being up and down being down, just as it's supposed to be.

Instantly, I dropped where I was and lied down on the floor, closing my eyes to ebb my nausea.

I heard an indignant snort from above me, "Well! I pull you from the room, and you still refuse to speak to me?"

Without opening my eyes, I nodded.

I heard him growl in his throat. "Wren! You stubborn mule! What do you want of me? I am afraid that I cannot take down what I did anymore than you could – that was, I confess, the point-" he held up his hands when I glared at him, "I know, I know, that is not helping my case. What's done is done! I am…" He trailed off, and I looked at him. He had a curious look on his face, as though something completely new had occurred to him. Yes, I think he knew then what I wanted from him. Even so, he looked a little strained to say it.

"I apologize, Wren," he said, simply.

I frowned at him, "What for?" I demanded. I wanted to hear what he was sorry for. As it was, there were at least two things. Maybe three, I hadn't quite decided.

He sighed again, hanging his head. "For making my way into your internet writings without permission," there was a pause and he raised his head up, "I assume that is what you are wanting an apology for, correct?"

I sniffed and looked away from him, "Perhaps…"

He was silent for a bit. I chanced a glance at him. He was standing there, one leg cocked out, one arm crossed and his chin resting on the fingers on his other hand, his eyebrows tightly knit and his eyes distant… he was thinking back on what I could possibly be mad at. I couldn't help but smile – he was so lovely. Just thinking that about him made my heart do a little wiggle dance – he really was gorgeous. How in the heck could I be so luck as to get a gorgeous guy like that?

Guy? Fae? Meh, whatever. Male. There, that worked.

Without moving the rest of him, one eyebrow raised and his eyes alone moved do look at me. Quickly, I sniffed again and went back to being overly dramatic, my head turned from him.

"And for ordering you to silence," he said, a slight trace of mirth in his voice that I could only guess came from him noticing me watching him.

I sniffed again, "And?"

He growled and bent down to grab my hand, promptly hauling me too my feet.

"Jareth!" I wailed, "I'm still dizzy!"

He wrapped his arms around me, underneath my own arms, and crossed them across my back – something that, I add, made me blush because it pulled me very close to him. "Do you truly believe I would let you fall?"

"No,"

"Well, good, then."

"You never answered my question."

He rubbed his nose against mine, "What question would that be, dearling?"

His breath against my mouth was intoxicating… "Um, the one about what else you're sorry for."

"Ah, that… what did I miss?"

"You called me wretched."

"Did I? And you didn't deserve that from all the mean things you said to me?"

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Goblin boy? Friggin' jerk? Something like that? I am sorry for anything I said in my anger that would make you upset, your royal-ness."

He sat me down with a truly hurt look on his face, "Those I deserved, I suppose…"

Quickly, I did a mental review of the insults I'd thrown at him… what else did I say? "Jareth, I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you're getting at here…

He turned his back to me, crossed his arms, and stuck his nose in the air, and… did he just…

Okay, perhaps it was just my imagination, or did he wiggle his rump at me? Oh yeah, he was definitely sticking it out at me, in those tight breeches… I had the horrible urge to just either pinch him or to kick him, or both. But, drat him, he looked over his shoulder before I could do one or the other.

"This," he pointedly wiggled again, "Is anything but pitiful, and I am fully offended."

"Oh," I said, advancing on him, "Well, perhaps you're right," I stood beside him as he smiled smugly at me… I waited until I saw his eyes smugly take in the ceiling of his throne room…

SMACK!

Jareth's face was a mix of horror and shock – holy dang, I wish I'd had a camera right then. He stiffened and slowly turned his horrified face to me.

"You… you… you _spanked me_!" he said in a wispy voice, his hands rubbing the back of his breeches. I giggled like mad.

"Yes, GK, I did."

"I… you spanked me! I am the Goblin King, and you SPANKED me!"

Flatly laughing now, I did my happy dance over to his throne and seated myself on it, tilting my head to the side and giving him an innocent look. "You deserved it."

He looked away, his eyes wide, still rubbing the back of his pants, "That stung!"

It was like a little child… and it made me laugh harder.

"And now you are laughing at me!" he said, very offended.

I laughed for a few more minutes and then sufficiently calmed myself. He was still giving me a hurt look. I smiled gently at him, "Okay, okay… for calling you're beautiful behind 'pitiful', and for smacking you good, I would like to do something to make it up to you."

He folded his arms and looked at me suspiciously, "What?"

I grinned. This was something I had wanted to do for a very long time, if for no other reason than to watch his reactions to it. And, though I wouldn't tell him this, it would very much be a treat to me as well as him.

"Let me make you dinner."

"I beg your pardon?"

I rolled my eyes and walked over to him, reaching out and playing with his shirt while looking up into his face, "I would very much like to cook and share a dinner with you. Here," I added, when he gave me a questioning look, "In the Underground. You can choose where, and I'll make the dinner and bring it here, and we can share it."

"Hmm," he snaked his arms around me, looking at the ceiling and thinking, "Dinner with you? Anywhere I choose?"

I reached around him and linked my hands behind his back, "Yep. But, I make the food. And we share it."

"Well," his eyes took on a very mischievous glint to them, and he began tracing circles on the small of my back, "It sounds like a lovely night…"

I snorted, "Sure thing, GK. And just for that insinuation…"

SMACK!

"Ow! Wren!"

"Don't be such a baby," I said, "I could have pinched you, instead!"

His eyes took on a dangerous, yet playful, look to them… I squealed and ran off through the castle while Jareth chased me – fully intent on pinching me. "Don't you dare, Jareth!"

"Ah," he hollered as he chased me, laughing himself, "You _asked_ for it!"

* * *

**A/N: Okay, there we go! I hope you all liked that chapter! Please read and review!**

**And, once again, a huge thanks to Danika for all her advice! **


	15. A First Date, A Talk, and Cookies

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything but Wren, not matter how much I wish I did. **

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****DanikaLareyna: AAAACKK! DANIKA! What kind of girl do you think I am? What kind of girl do you think Wren is? Yikes! Okay, next chapter, I have a lot of 'splaining to do…**

**Sanoru: You know, thank you for being such a loyal reader/reviewer. I so appreciate it!**

**Anij: Hee… Wren does have a temper… but it's never long lived. She's stubborn, but… meh, she likes Jareth to much to hold it against him for too long. And, yes, that is a first… hence why I did it! Hee! I mean, why I had Wren do it… ah, you know what I meant.**

**Trickypop: -sniff- Aw, you really like it? Thank you SO much! Okay, this hides links, so I'll send you the URL. And, yes, there is a book, but it was based on the movie, not the other way around - it was the junior novelization. Unfortunately, it's very hard to find... and expensive, once you do. I swear, I am half tempted to transcript the whole thing for people! But, try ebay or Amazon – I found two there. **

**Yami Moon: Yes, he really did have it coming. Hee. And thanks for the songs! I'll have to check them out… **

**Adelaide Holmes: Whoohoo! I'm very excited that you like it! Aw, sheesh, you're making me blush! Next chapter should be up soon. **

**Notwritten: Thank you!**

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****Music recommendations:**

**_No One Needs to Know_ by Shania Twain – minus the 'tall dark' line, this is a lot of Wren's thoughts. I love this song so much… seriously, if you've never heard it, go listen. Or, I dunno, at least go look up the lyrics.**

**_Hungry Eyes_ by Eric Carmen – hmm… kinda fitting for dinner, don't you think?**

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**I don't think I had ever been as nervous about my cooking before. 

There were many reasons for my fear and anxiety. First of all, I was, despite my connection to him, cooking for a King. Second of all, I was, despite his title, cooking for my sorta-boyfriend. Third of all, we'd never had an official _date_, so this dinner would be a big first. Fourth of all, and the final thing I intend to list (because this list could really keep going on and on if I let it do so), I had never seen Jareth eat, much less eat Aboveground food… and I kinda wanted it to be nice.

My first problem was in what to make. I was half-determined to cook this stuff on my own, unless I absolutely couldn't do it, you know, without blowing myself up or something like that.

So, the big question was, what does one cook for the Goblin King?

I sat down in my room, making a list of what I wanted to make for him. Foreign food? Italian, Greek, Mexican… but, what if those were all too spicy for him? I didn't know how delicate his Fae system would be. I left them under a 'maybe' section of my list. What about 'home cooking'? Potatoes, biscuits, chicken… would that be too primitive for his tastes? Meh, those went under 'maybe', too.

But… what about grilled food? Technically, that was home cooked… but much yummier. And… okay, I scribbled a few notes onto my list and made a grab for my cell phone, punching in my speed dial.

I didn't have a grill, and, honestly, I had no grill recipes … but I knew who did. And, if I wanted this done right, I had to get the best.

"Hey, Lachlan?" I said into the phone, "I need a favor…"

* * *

The next afternoon, after I had gotten off from work, I found myself with raw meat skewers, fruit and vegetables, sweating over the grill in my brother's back yard. 

Lachlan, always nearby to make sure I didn't cause an explosion on his propane grill, was watching me curiously while helping to put the vegetables and odd fruit I had picked out on the skewers.

I eyed him strangely, flipping over some burgers. "What's with the eye?" I asked.

He smiled, focusing on some pineapple, "I was just wondering if you were going to tell me about this guy you're seeing…"

My eyes went huge as I grabbed a skewer and shoved my own piece of pineapple on it. Thinking fast, I sighed, "I don't know what you're talking about, Lach."

"C'mon, Wren," he said, nudging my arm, "Don't give me that. Orla's not here, you know. You can't fool me into thinking that you want to go to all this trouble just for yourself."

I frowned at him, "I do like your grilling, Lachlan. Isn't that reason enough?"

"In this case? No. Look, you've got four burgers and several kabobs… it's all even numbered. I get the feeling you're making a dinner for two. Usually, when you want my grilling, we cook up enough for a month, not a single dinner."

I said nothing. Lachlan really knew me too well.

"Do I get to know the name of the man who my baby sister is completely stuck on?"

I blushed as I flipped another burger, "I'm not stuck on him."

From the corner of my eye, I could see Lachlan grinning, "So there _is _a guy…"

"Fine, there is. Don't tell Orla."

He shook his head, his dark shoulder length hair swaying, "You're nuts, you know. I won't tell her, but she'll find out eventually."

I snorted, "Oh, I know. But… I'm putting it off for as long as I can."

There was silence except for the sizzle of the grill.

"Mind if I ask why?"

"Why what, Lach?"

He raised an eyebrow at me, "Why you want to hide him from us."

I closed my eyes, "It's… complicated. It's not that I'm wanting to hide him, per se, but…" I sighed, not knowing how to finish the sentence. I couldn't tell Lachlan. As great as a big brother as he was, he was very practical. He wouldn't believe me.

His face went stern, "Wren… you're not seeing a married guy, are you?"

I faced him and accidentally smacked his arm with the spatula. "No! Gosh, Lach! What kind of person do you take me for?"

Rubbing his arm (luckily he had sleeves on, so I hadn't burnt him), he looked away, "Then what's the deal? Why hide him?"

I took the burgers off and started putting on the kabobs, "I'm not hiding him. He's…" my mind raced, "He's… an older guy, okay?"

Lachlan shrugged, "So?"

I swallowed, "You remember the problem with older guys, right? First of all, Mom and Dad frown on me liking them, and second of all, Orla always went after them, regardless of age. To see if there were good enough for me, she said. Yeah…" I trailed off, remembering the many times my older sister had dated the guy I had had a crush on.

Lachlan nodded, remembering as well. My family all well remembered the explosion that had erupted when it had happened for the third time, and I had snapped. Orla, while she always seemed to have the compulsion to go after what I wanted, stopped after I nearly choked her with her own bra and had to be pulled off by Persephone before I succeeded. Yeah, that had been a pleasant thing to explain to my parents.

"I thought you forgave her for that, Wren," he said, quietly after a while.

I sighed, "I did, Lachlan… but… well, I forgave and forgot the first incident – and then it happened again, right? After two more times, I forgave her, but engraved the incident into my memory, lest it happen again."

He shook his head, "Orla's not like that, now."

"Then why does she care so much? You can't blame me for not wanting to tell her his name. I trust him, very much, but Orla… well, lets say I don't want to have a falling out with her."

"Falling out?"

I turned over a couple of kabobs and reached for a bun to toast on the grill, "If she makes a move on a person I really care about, who, for the first time in my life seems to have as much interest in me as I do in him, I won't be responsible for what I strangle her with."

I frowned at the grill for a moment before I felt Lachlan's arms around my shoulders, giving me a hug.

"Look, whatever happens with your mystery man," he said with a smirk, "You can trust me, and… I will do my best to support you and keep Orla off him."

Surprised at my usually over protective brother, I grinned, "You will? Really?"

"Of course," he gave me a tight squeeze. "I don't know this man of yours… but, I do know that I have not seen you this happy in… well, I don't think I've ever seen you this happy. It's like you're living in a perpetual world of Christmas mornings,"

I giggled and blushed. Lachlan laughed, too.

"Well, okay, maybe not that… but all the same – you're a smart kid, and I trust your judgment. If he can see my baby sister for the wonderful, beautiful, special person that she is, he can't be all that bad."

I fought a wave of emotion that rolled over me and turned around to hug him back. "Thank you, Lachlan. It's so great to hear you say that."

* * *

Being as how I was 'subjecting' him to the Aboveground food, as he called it, I let Jareth set the time and place of where we would have our dinner. I was surprising him of what we were eating, and he was keeping the location a huge secret. Well, perhaps I shouldn't say huge… I mean, he wasn't making a big deal of it, he was just refusing to tell me unless I told him what we would be eating, first – which I wasn't about to do… mainly because at the time, I hadn't decided yet. 

As long as it wasn't the bog, or the fiery forest, I would be fine with it.

Jareth informed me it would be, in accordance with Aboveground tradition, Friday night, after I got off work.

But… it was how he notified me that made me smile. It had been Thursday, the same day I had decided what food I was going to be cooking, only earlier. I was sitting at my desk, just after lunch, when a sparkle caught my eye. I glanced over to the corkboard where my 'drawing' of him was. On my desktop, a small crystal appeared, solidified, sparkled for a moment, and then popped. It left behind a fancy-looking piece of parchment with elegant script (it made me giggle to realize that Jareth himself had most likely written it! He _wrote_ me a note! With his hands! Hee!) stating that my presence was requested in the Underground as soon as possible on Friday evening.

And… there was a rose. A sterling rose – the kind of purple-ish colored ones without thorns? I love those. And it was resting on the note when the crystal popped.

For whatever reason you could imagine, sterling roses reminded me of Jareth. I smiled like a dork the rest of the day.

As soon as work was finished the next day, I raced home and reheated the meat (part of me felt bad for using a microwave on the meat, even though it probably wouldn't hurt it, so I went a head and put in the oven on warm) and the other food I'd come up with. Then I went to change.

Staring at my closet was another thing all together. Was I freaking out over nothing? It was Jareth… but, it was also our first official date, you might say. I think Jareth's note put pressure on me… it was just so fancy. I knew this wasn't really a fancy thing, but I still wanted to look nice. With a sigh, I went for my favorite shirt and skirt combo: jade colored scoopneck crochet top (that was lined, of course), and my brown tiered skirt. To be comfortable, and also somewhat casual, I also went with my pale minty-jade Mary Jane flats. I just brushed my hair and made sure it wasn't ratty. It may be a mousy-brown, but it usually stays nice and almost-wavy.

Once I was dressed and had all that I needed loaded up (the food in a picnic basket), I counted the crystals on my ring and found myself in the Underground. Actually, in the throne room.

And, with a certain Goblin King, quite dashingly dressed, waiting for me.

He had on a rather shiny looking blue shirt (not one of his poet ones… this was more formal looking, but not his formal suit – though it did have just as many ruffles) with a black vest and pants. And boots and gloves (dang him! Will he never show me those hands?) as usual.

"My dear, you look lovely," he said with a flourish of his arm, which he extended to me. I took it and smiled at him.

"You don't look too bad, yourself."

He began to lead me down the hallway, slowly. "Are you planning to run away, Wren?" he asked with a grin.

I snorted, "Nah, this," I held up the picnic basket, "Is our dinner."

"I am afraid it doesn't look too appetizing…"

I elbowed him lightly and felt him laugh a little, "No, GK, _this_ is the basket. The meal is inside… speaking of which, where are we eating?"

He smiled, "I thought we would spend tonight in a more informal atmosphere,"

"As opposed to our normally _formal _one? Ah, yes, you must be referring to the time I made a mud hole in your throne room…"

He smiled at me, but said nothing. We walked a ways farther down a few more hallways (I was enjoying the feeling of my arm in his too much to really care what was going on) before stopping in front of two double doors.

Uh… two doors I knew too well.

Jareth's chambers. I swallowed hard as he opened one door for me and led me inside. Yep, sure enough, there was his bed, and the rest of his room, which I had seen on a few occasions (the first of which had been a complete accident).

As soon as we were both inside, and he shut the door behind me, he took my hand, "Right this way, my dearling,"

Without my permission, my feet put on the brakes.

"I'm not comfortable," I blurted before I could think about it.

He stopped and turned to give me a questioning glance, "What is the matter, Wren?"

I swallowed, "I'm not comfortable eating here." Rebellion spreading from my feet up to my eyeballs, I found myself glancing at his bed without thinking about it.

This did not go beyond his notice.

I glued my eyes to my shoes, fighting a terrible blush.

"Hmm," he muttered, folding his arms and looking at his bed, and then at me, "I was concerned about this…"

I looked up, "About what?"

Without a word, he moved his way to the other side of his bed and to the window beyond it. There were two paned doors that led outside to what I had only ever guessed was a balcony. He opened the two doors and motioned to the outside, "We are eating out here, Wren, not in my bedchamber."

I felt myself go red from top to bottom. "Oh."

"Care to join me out here?"

"Yeah, okay…" I muttered, shuffling my flat shoes over the stone floor to the doors where he stood, waiting. I let him lead me out to a balcony that was much larger than expected… and it was facing South (or, what I guessed was south) so we were able to watch the slowly setting sun. Once on the balcony, which was fitted with a low table (and I mean low, as in only a bit off the ground) and…

"Beanbag chairs?" I asked, my eyes wide and a smile on my face.

I watched him turn his nose up in the air, "I like them,"

I went and flopped in one, sitting the basket between the two chairs, "Me, too. I just… well, I wasn't expecting them."

He seated himself beside me and looked at the basket. "Wren?"

"Yeah?"

"Before we eat… there's something I think we need to discuss…"

I looked at him and could tell we were both thinking the same thing. I had kinda freaked in the bedroom. We'd never discussed anything… like that.

But, instead of a serious conversation about standards and intimacy, Jareth smirked and got to his feet, to give me a speech. I think he was intimidated about the subject matter.

"Wren," he said, his hands behind his back and standing primly looking out over the Labyrinth and trees below. "I am fully aware of the present-day standards in the Aboveground, of what is expected in a courtship between a man and a woman. I am all too aware of this, as I am Fae, and most of my kind have even less standards than those of the Aboveground – extreme longevity tends to lead to promiscuity out of sheer boredom, I am afraid…"

I decided to humor him, and not interrupt his speech.

"But the fact remains that while I _am_ Fae, I am also a monarch, a King, and therefore I have specific obligations and responsibilities. While it is common for those of the Fae race often engage in forms of intimacy, even expected, I long ago decided it was foolish for a ruler to do so out of the bonds of what you would call marriage, for obvious reasons…"

I noticed that his cheeks were slightly pink, and not from the late afternoon sun.

"I do not doubt that you perceive me as a great lover," (I snorted, but he didn't notice), "As a man who could have any woman he wanted… to a certain degree, I am what I appear to be. But, power struggles, usurpers, and the like are difficult enough to deal with, without a child in the middle of the struggle. And, of course, should marriage follow later with another partner, then there is always the worry about which child would have rightful claim to their titles, etc…"

That's where I decided to break in.

"So," I said, startling him from his speech (he quickly turned to face me), "You are basically restating what I told you once, way back in passing conversation, that I have high morals and standards, and am not likely to jump into bed with anyone unless I'm married to them?"

The look on his face clearly showed he'd forgotten that. I confess, that hadn't been the topic of conversation at the time, but I had still said it to him. He sighed, his ridged and royal appearance slipping away as his shoulders drooped and he dropped to his knees before me.

He cradled one of my hands in his own, and stared at it, intently. "What I was attempting to do, Wren, is to discover what it is you _expect_ of _me_."

"What do you mean?"

He still didn't look up from my hand, "Despite my decisions in this matter…" his voice faded to a low whisper and I could clearly see the redness in his cheekbones (I smiled, it was so cute! So… real), "There are few things I could deny you, Wren…"

I stared at him, taken completely aback by his honesty to me. There was something so… quietly sad in his voice that caused a nearly overwhelming sensation of guilt at having assumed the worst of him when he led me through his chambers. Something about the look on his face… what would that be? Sadness, fear, desire? It flattered me and broke my heart all at the same time.

I withdrew my hand from his and tilted his chin upward so that his eyes met mine. I smiled at him, doing my best to reassure him. I used both my hands to brush back the hair that had fallen over his eyes and into his face, reveling in the feel of his skin on my palms, much as I had just before I kissed him the first time. How many times had I said to myself that I loved his face? The curves of my palms rested perfectly over his cheekbones, and I turned my fingers back to caress his ears – which, while not quite elf-like, were pointed, ever so slightly.

The moment I touched his face, his eyes fluttered closed and his knitted brows relaxed. My voice brought his eyes open again.

"I _expect_ nothing more of you than your respect, Jareth. You are, first and foremost, my friend, and I expect nothing more than your respect. I would not demand more of you, ever. I care about you, you know that… and you know about my morals. Now, you know them officially. So… I'm sorry for acting like I did back there. I didn't mean to make it seem as though I was expecting… more. I'm not."

A slight look of wonder fell upon his face as he looked up at me. I couldn't help but smile wider. A gloved hand (I noticed for the first time that his gloves, in this instance, were not leather. I don't know for sure what they were, but they were thinner than leather, and… I could feel the warmth of his hands underneath!) cupped my cheek as his mismatched eyes bounced back and forth between my own.

"You truly are a wonder to me, Wren, did you know?" he asked softly, rhetorically, before giving me a gentle kiss on the cheek he wasn't touching – something that seemed almost more intimate than being on the lips, I confess. A final rebellion struck in my arms, and I hugged him around the neck tightly for a brief moment before letting go and sighing.

"Okay, so… dinner? Are you ready for it?"

His beautiful eyes widened, "Erm… yes?"

* * *

Jareth eating kabobs was an odd sight, I tell you. 

He'd hold the skewer so primly and gently pull the pieces off with his teeth and eat them... it was very... well, funny, but odd. And his face when he first ate a piece of pineapple... gracious, why did I not bring a camera with me? It was priceless.

He'd quite enjoyed the burgers. At first, he'd claimed they were primitive (to be fair, he at least tried to be nice about them, saying they were 'sweetly primitive'), but after a bit, and a few bites, he began to make small, appreciative noises while he ate, and when it came down to it, he'd finished both his burgers before I'd finished my first.

Actually, I was more interested in the kabobs, and didn't want my second burger. "Would you like it?" I offered, extending the grilled meat in a bun to him.

He had just delicately finished one kabob, but I could see his eyes light up at the grilled beef. "Oh, no," he said, still looking at it, "I won't take it from you, Wren…"

I shook my head, "You're not… Besides, I don't think I'll be able to eat it, after these kabobs. Would you like it?"

"Well," he said, a slow grin coming across his face, "I would hate to see it waste…" he took it from me, happily, and bit into it. I fought the giggles, madly.

As I watched him, a question occurred to me. Picking up a kabob and picking a pepper from it to munch on, I asked, "How did you get to be the Goblin King?"

He paused and looked at me, one cheek bulging with what he'd just bitten off. "Hrm?" he asked, with his mouth full.

I snickered and rephrased, "I'm just curious. Did you inherit it, or did you earn it? And how long do you keep it?"

"Erm…" He swallowed and leaned back in his beanbag chair, almost lazily. "In general terms, I did inherit it from my father, but I rule by might,"

From the doors behind us (I had long since figured out that some goblins were interested in what their King was up to, and we were not completely alone, but I've also learned to ignore them, for the most part. They're goblins, after all, and prone to be nosy.) I heard a giggle. Jareth's eyes gleamed for a split second while flickering to the door, but he seemed to ignore it as well.

"The… the goblins know if they don't do what I say, I'll kick them out the window…" more giggles from behind us, "…or dip them in the bog…" flat out laughter, now, "or…"

I held up a hand, "Whoa, whoa, wait a second here, I gotta know," I turned and leaned over the back of the beanbag I was in, facing the window, "What's so funny?"

A small brown head peered out of the doorway, at me. It, along with the other giggles behind it, laughed and addressed Jareth, "Nu-uh! You're the king 'cause you won the dance contest!"

I snorted, half-way between laughing myself silly and disbelief, "The _dance_ contest?" I looked at Jareth, who now was sitting rigidly in his chair.

He was silent for a moment, his cheeks were pinker than I had ever seen them and muttered, while taking an oversized bite of his burger, "Yes, well… goblins are notoriously bad dancers…"

I rolled onto my side to face him better, "So… is _that_ how you inherited the throne? You're daddy taught you to dance, and once you could beat him, you became king?"

He leveled me with a glare, "Fae always find new ways to amuse themselves, Wren. The dance contest tradition may have spawned from an early form of amusement, but it is a tradition nonetheless, and is very important. I do not scoff at your traditions."

"Oh?"

"Not the important ones."

I leaned back in the chair, resuming my kabob, "Oh, I'm not scoffing at them. You are a good dancer, I will be the first to attest to that. But… let me just get this straight. Hypothetically, if I beat you at a dance contests, would I get to be king?"

He glared at me, and looked as though he was about to say something, when a giggly voice from behind me piped up, saying, "Yup! Them's the rules!"

I watched Jareth's glare move from me to the goblin behind me. I turned and watched the goblin quietly hid behind the door, only his eyes peeking out.

"No one," Jareth said to me, very seriously, "And I do mean no one, has ever out danced me, little Wren," he chewed daintily on another bite of his burger, "And no one ever will."

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Really? Is that so?"

"It's true," came the goblin behind us again, "Once, we tried to form a republic by all dancing against him at once, but he beat our conga-line with a simple two-step."

I nearly snorted the pineapple I was eating out my nose. Jareth, regally ignoring my undignified laughter, finished his burger and another kabob.

* * *

"Wren," Jareth mused while the sun at last dipped below the horizon, "I do not think I will allow you to cook for me again," 

I looked over at him, hurt, "What? Why?"

He wasn't looking at me, or the sun. Instead, he was looking at his shirt and the waistband on his pants. "Too much of this," he mused, good-naturedly, "And my pants will no longer fit me. How unbecoming a portly Goblin King would be…"

I giggled. "Oh, please, you only had one cookie. You'll be dancing off that dinner in no time, fancy pants."

The table between us vanished and suddenly his beanbag chair was right beside mine. I so love magic. I leaned over and snuggled against his chest. He nuzzled my hair.

"Cookies are _so_ underrated…" he breathed.

"I knew you'd like them,"

He nodded, "Quite tasty, I confess. What flavor were they again?"

I smiled against the ruffles on his shirt, "Sugar."

"Hm,"

"Next time," I said, reaching up and kissing his cheek, "I'll introduce you to chocolate chips."

"Ooh, I like the sound of those..."

* * *

**A/N: Have no fear, everyone, Wren will not continuously feed the GK cookies. Hee! Even if she did, I am sure he'd dance them off, as she assumed.**

**Also, a HUGE thank you, once again, to Danika for proofreading and brainstorming with me. The 'dance contest' stuff spurred completely from her brain, when mine was feeling extremely dead. Heck, these chapters wouldn't come out nearly as fast without her constantly feeding my Jareth/Bowie obsession. THANK YOU!**

**Well, as usual, please read and review. It's much appreciated.**

**Marti**


	16. Assumptions and Overtime

**Disclaimer: Wren is my original character, Jareth is not… haven't we been through all this? Also, this chapter deals with an office very much like the one I work in. A lot of the people in this chapter may resemble people I know… but I am not placing the actual people I know directly into the story, with one or two exceptions who do know about this fic. I promise not to portray them unfairly. I never would. **

**And, the songs I may mention in this… yeah, I don't own them either. No, this is not a song fic… I'm just… well, read on. You'll see.**

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**DanikaLareyna: Sorry! Sheesh! Actually, since you asked, Lachlan is rather cute, isn't he? No, he's free! Interested? **

**Yami Moon: Oh, yes, Wren may need those cookies sooner than she thinks… but, we shall see… think cookies could keep someone out of the BOES?**

**Anij: Who knows, we may - eventually - see one of those around... you never know... meanwhile, thank Danika for that bit of inspiration. She really does keep me going on these.**

**Notwritten: aww, thank you very much!**

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**How about some good music for this chapter? Ahem, let me see… **

**_You're So Vain _by Carly Simon – well, I had to include this. Read the chapter, and you'll see why.**

**_It's Raining Men_ by the Weather Sisters – good stuff, I tell you. Makes you want to do a rain dance, or something, don't it?**

**_Heroes_ by David Bowie – like the last two songs, read the chappie, and you'll understand all. Or, at least some. **

**_No One Else On Earth_ by Wynonna Judd – I listened to this one while writing a good portion of this chapter. I could see Wren singing this, especially about the shivers…**

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**Um, quick note here: For some strange reason, FFnet won't let me insert those lines... so, sorry, you'll have to endure my zeros as dividers. I'll fix it later, when it allows me again. Hope it's not too distracting!**

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Watching him is… addicting. We weren't doing anything in particular, just sitting around listening to some music while doing our own things. Me? I was trying to do a little journaling – key word, trying to. I was, obviously, not succeeding. It was far more interesting to watch him.

Jareth was sitting in my large, purple beanbag chair, again. He'd been furious that his castle seemed to be devoid of any quiet place, so he'd shown up in my room, asking if he might spend some quiet time in my room, for his reading. So, he sat in my chair – that he's nuts about – reading some book that looked really old, with gold embossing and yellow pages.

I just watched him read, and turn pages. He was… so beautiful. I watched him lean his head back against the wall and turn another page, his eyes roaming over it.

How the heck did I get him? How was it that he, this dashing Fae monarch, could possibly be attracted to me, cubby, short, plain me? Not that I was complaining…

A bubbly feeling rose up inside me – the King of the Goblins is my boyfriend. Holy dang, say that enough times, and you get high on the phrase.

At last, his eyes flickered over and met mine. He smiled – not his trademark smirk, or something big and flashy, but a content, kind smile.

"What are you thinking of?" he asked, closing his book and giving me his full attention.

I grinned, and blushed a little, "You."

"Well," he said, smirking this time, "_Obviously_, but, what about me? My heart-stopping good looks? Or, perhaps, my uncanny ability to drive you absolutely insane?"

I shook my head, "Um, well… insane for you, or insane from you?"

He raised his eyebrows and cocked his head to the side, smirking even more (if such a thing was even possible… and for him, I think it is), "Insane with _lust_,"

I snorted from my spot on the bed, "Yeah, you got me, that _must_ be it."

He sat his book to the side, chuckling as he did so, and got to his feet. "Yes, it is true. You are, after all," he paused, swaying his hips and striking a pose with one leg cocked, his head thrown back, and his hands on his hips, "_Mad_ about me, I can tell."

I laughed, and, having been laying on my stomach, I rolled onto my side and faced him. I… I don't know. For a moment, my mind drifted back to him eating burgers, and I grinned.

"So, dearling," he said, suddenly, moving to sit beside me on the bed, "If I provided you with sufficient nasal protection, would you like to see the Bog of Eternal Stench?"

My eyes went wide – that was not a question I was expecting. "What, you mean _now_?"

He laughed and shook his head, "No," he said as though what he meant was completely obvious, "This Saturday, when you come to the Underground."

I sat up and looked at him, "I am coming to the Underground? When were you going to inform me of this?"

He raised an eyebrow at me, "Are we not courting?"

I snickered (wouldn't you? Who says 'courting' now days? It was cute!) and his face fell.

"We are not?" he asked carefully, looking almost hurt.

I patted his hand, "I didn't mean that, I just…" he still looked dubious, I smiled at him, "I suppose we are dating…" without my permission, a silly grin plastered itself on my face – which, strangely enough, seemed to reassure him more than anything I could possibly say. "But, what does that have to do with me going to the Underground?"

He sighed, "I assumed we would spend the day together."

I glared at him, "So, you just assumed, and didn't think to ask me if I could go?"

Jareth frowned, looking vaguely confused, "Why could you not go? Or," he shook his head, "_Come_. Why should you not _come_… your Pidgin English is rubbing off on me…"

"_Pidgin_ English?" I chose to ignore that and sighed, "For your information, Mr. Magic Pants, I can't go Saturday, because I have to work."

"What?" he looked at me sharply, "But… You only work five out of seven days in a week – you do not work on Saturdays, Wren,"

I rolled my eyes and snorted, "Yeah, well, with the fiscal year coming to a close, and working in the financial department of a large college, well, Tyler freaked out and demanded a 'Blitz' – which is really a stupid name for it, if you ask me, but he thinks it's witty. Anyway, in general, he has demanded that every team, including mine, has to work four hours of overtime – mandatory overtime – to keep up with the demands of the fiscal year close. But, at least I get paid time and a half for it…"

Jareth stared at me, blankly, "That is, by far, the stupidest thing I have heard, thus far, in the Aboveground."

I smacked his arm, "Now you're being dramatic. C'mon, look, it's only four hours, so after that – _if_ you ask me nicely – I'll go to the Underground and spend the rest of the day with you. It's not that long."

He folded his arms across his chest, "Why even bother, then?"

I sighed and, even though he wouldn't relax to my touch – I knew he was disappointed – I hugged him. "Look, I am sorry, but… I have to work. If you don't want to do it, then maybe – whoa!" I fell over, almost toppling off my bed entirely, as he vanished in an almost angry puff of glitter. I sat up and sighed. "Maybe another time, then."

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Oh, how I hate coming into work on Saturday. Really, it's just wrong. At least they let you wear what you want to on Saturday, and, as not every team had to come in and work on so I could come in wearing jeans and my flip-flops, and not have to worry about dress-code issues. And, as not every team had to come in to work, the building was mostly empty. So, really, there is one good thing about work on Saturday, next to wearing jeans – no fighting for parking.

My entire team decided to come in and work 8am to 12 noon. Nice and all, but… yeah, I was not happy to miss out on sleeping in, as I usually do on Saturday. It's hard enough now that Jareth is in my life, because he's an eternal early bird, and can't seem to understand how it is that I don't just jump up and down at the sunrise. But, I digress.

I parked near the front of the building and headed inside. I scanned my badge at the door and I heard the small, muffled beep as the guard inside buzzed me in. For security purposes, the badge alone on a Saturday is not enough to let you in the building, as it is during the rest of the week. Instead, the guard at the guard station just inside the door has to buzz you in.

I glanced at the guard, and shook my head as I opened the door and walked inside. Some security… he had a newspaper up and the most I could see of him was his gloves…

I bent over the sign-in sheet to put in my info for the day… on the sheet, I could see that most all of my team had already arrived, except for Dan. Allie had, apparently, signed in only moments before me. I sat the pen down and made my way back to our department and to my desk.

Everyone was there, except Kay, who was still on maternity leave, and Connie who just married, and was on her honeymoon. Lisa, Allie, Sharla, Miranda, Ansley, Rhonda, Bill, Tony, Shaniqua, and even Donna were all there. Now, after Donna's husband had caused so many problems, Lisa had arranged for one of the guards to come and watch over our room in particular. As far as Lisa knew – and I'd not ever told her otherwise – Wayne, Donna's husband, had not tried anything, but she still didn't want to take any chances, especially when the building was so empty.

When I got to my desk, I noticed that Dan wasn't there yet. "Hey," I said aloud, "Where's Dan?"

Lisa poked her head out of her cube, "Oh, he had a flat tire. He should be here, soon, he said. I just spoke to him on his cell."

As if on cue, Dan came bustling in the office, looking incredibly flustered. Taking his 'murse' of his shoulder he plopped it on his desk and held his hands up, "This," he announced dramatically, "Is so, incredibly, not my morning, people. My luck, Starbucks messed up my caramel macchiato, and it wasn't iced. Can you believe them? I mean, what kind of person would want a hot one, anyway?"

I smiled at Dan and turned on my computer. Dan was, obviously, taking every advantage of the free dress-code for the day, wearing a bright pink shirt and jeans that looked suspiciously like they could have belonged to his little sister, if he had one – of that, I wasn't sure. Dan is the self-proclaimed, and extremely proud, queer-eye guy on our team. I think he gives Bill and Tony the creeps, but he's every girl's best friend… and, often times, fashion consultant. As you might guess, he's one of my best work-buddies, next to Allie, that is.

He leaned over the cube wall we share and smiled at me, "So, sweetie, did you have a rough time getting up this morning? I know I did… what, no coffee?"

I laughed, "No, no coffee for me, Dan. I've got an energy drink in my bag if I need one, though."

Allie, from across the room, snickered at that. Her and I have a huge private joke about my addiction to energy drinks.

I grinned, and Dan saw it, but Dan doesn't know about the joke I have with Allie. Instead, he took my smile another way.

"Oh, I know," he said in his knowing way, flapping a hand at me as he started up his own computer, "Who needs coffee when there's that new, incredibly hot security guard up at the desk, right? Am I right? Huh?" he winked at me.

I giggled. A flamboyantly gay man was always very interesting to work with. "We got a new one? I didn't see him, he was hiding behind his newspaper."

"Oh, heaven on earth," Dan said, throwing his head back and rolling his eyes, "This guy is very yummy. You should see him, sweetie. _You_ would think he's gorgeous."

I eyed Dan, "Would I?" I had never really discussed men or my tastes with Dan before… so how did he know my type?

Dan's grin widened, "Yeah babe, you would. But," he sighed dreamily, "I do believe he's gay, so it looks like at least one of us is out of luck."

"Nice, Dan. How can you tell he's gay?" I asked.

Miranda, who sat in the cube next to Dan, poked her head up, "Oooh, you talking about the new guard?" when we nodded, she nearly drooled, "So sexy. I mean, yeah, like he's totally buff and… oh, so hot. He winked at me, but Dan's right, he's so gay. He wears makeup and his hair is very metro, you know?"

I rolled my eyes and turned to my computer, "Too bad for me, then."

Dan sighed, "I hope he's the one who will be stationed back here."

Miranda jumped up and down in her chair, "Oooh, I asked Lisa! He is! As soon as the second guard comes in, that hot one will be back here with us! Could you just die?"

Dan jumped up, "Lisa!"

Lisa looked over, "What?"

"We don't have much to do today, do we?"

She shook her head, "No, we really don't. You know we're here out of obligation, not for the work load. Why?"

Dan squealed and dashed for the door, "We are going to do Karaoke!"

The rest of the team stopped what they were doing and looked at one another. Bill, from his cube, muttered something about never letting Dan near a Starbucks ever again.

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Fifteen minutes later, Dan had set up the Karaoke machine he'd brought with him in his trunk, over in the empty corner of the room. Allie was standing up, watching him curiously. I was standing next to her, and Tony next to me, all of us watching Dan.

"Danny," she said, nicely, "Out of curiosity, what is the purpose of all this?"

Dan popped his head up from the machine, "Did you not see that super hottie at the guard station?"

She shook her head, "Nah, he was behind the paper. What's the deal?"

Dan giggled, "He'll be our guard for today… and he's totally gay. So… why not ask him to be a judge for our impromptu Karaoke contest? That way," Dan waggled his eyebrows suggestively, "I can serenade him!"

Allie shook her head, "I don't know what frightens me more, the fact that you want to serenade the guard, or the fact that you had that machine in your trunk!"

He shrugged, "Only the essentials, sweetie."

Tony, who was eyeing the machine very suspiciously, asked, "I don't get it, I saw the guy, but… how can you tell he's gay?"

Dan stuck his hips out to the side and folded his arms, "I know, okay? First of all, he was wearing makeup. I mean heavy eyeliner. Then, there was the ponytail of hair so shiny and blonde that it has to be a dye job. Wren, c'mon – oh, wait, you didn't see him, huh? Dang."

"What's the deal with me, Dan? You keep saying I'd like him – how do you know what I like in men?"

Dan grinned at me, "Honey, I see your cube. This guy is like David Bowie under a hotness-microscope. We're talking a buff Hunky Dory with a large splash of Labyrinth, here."

Allie and I both gasped and looked at each other with wide eyes. It couldn't be, could it?

"Nah…" Allie breathed, her mouth barely moving, "It can't be, can it?"

I was speechless.

Dan looked between the two of us, "What, you know the guy or something?"

Allie, seeing that I was speechless, covered, "Maybe… he sounds familiar. I think I may have met him awhile back… holy crap."

I looked at Allie. She went white in the face, her eyes looking over my shoulder, towards the door into our area of the building. I, for one, was half way afraid to look and see what was behind me, but the predatory look on Dan's face basically told me all I needed to know. Slowly I turned to see the guard who was walking towards us.

Black boots, the tops covered by the dark green pants of a security uniform, thunked on the office carpet. A green security shirt covered broad, muscled shoulders and went down to wrists and hands that were gloved in black. A green cap with the security logo covered what I knew was spiky hair, which had been attempted to be tamed with a ponytail at the back of the neck. And, the whole ensemble was topped off with a nametag, proclaiming this man to be "Jim Bob".

I knew better.

Jareth smiled at us, "Hello members of the Finance processing team. I believe I am to be stationed in your room for the duration of your shift. I am, erm, Jim."

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Dan had scuttled off and located a chair for 'Jim Bob', right away. Shaniqua, Miranda, and Rhonda took every opportunity to swoon over him, every chance they got. Lisa, who had a larger cube than any of us, was the first to offer him a place to sit – and looked incredibly giddy to do so. I wasn't certain, but Donna may have pinched him. Ansley would have, but never could seem to get close enough.

Allie found this whole thing very amusing. Me? I was glaring daggers at him. Oh, ha-ha, very funny. I'm sure he thought this was one big joke – but did he realize how awkward a situation it put me in? My coworkers were drooling over MY guy!

I printed off some papers and stalked past him to the printer to retrieve them. He, at first, didn't seem to notice me – he was too busy reading a copy of People magazine that Dan had offered him.

I stood at the printer waiting for my papers – and then noticed the jam. I mumbled some words under my breath and started trying to remove the cartridge to get the jammed paper out.

"Wren?" whispered a voice in my ear.

"Aaah!" I threw the printer cartridge into the air – which would have bashed me in the head, had Jareth not caught it easily and handed it back to me. I took it and slapped his arm, "Jerk – don't do that to me!" I hissed.

He frowned, "I wanted to spend the day with you, I thought this was…"

"Stuff it," I hissed, through my teeth at him, "It's all about _you_, isn't it? Do you even realize how hard it is for me-"

I shut my face, seeing Dan approach.

"Mr. Bob," Dan called, swaying his hips as he did do, "Oh, Mr. Bob! Can I ask you a favor?"

The frown, which had been on Jareth's face, cleared before he turned to Dan, and was replaced with his charming smile. Jareth, for what it was worth, did not know Dan was gay – I had never had a reason to tell him about it, so I could only assume that he didn't know what that smile would mean to my friend.

"Of course you may," he said, smoothly.

Dan giggled, "Okay, ever heard of karaoke?"

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For the life of me, I couldn't believe two things. First of all, I could not believe that Dan believed Jareth had never heard of karaoke without questioning it. Second of all, I could not believe that Jareth, once having the concept explained to him, would agree to judge the contest so quickly. In fact, he seemed excited by the idea.

I hope he didn't think I would actually sing. I loved to sing, but not in public. And, even if I had been a famous singer who was accustomed to singing in public every day, I would still refuse, just to spite him.

Dan pulled up a chair off to the side of the karaoke machine, which 'Jim Bob' sat in, very regally. I heard three sighes across the room, at least, when he leaned back in the chair and crossed his legs. Allie shoved her fist in her mouth to keep from giggling.

Had I been in a better mood, I would have found it hysterical that, out of the blue, Jareth seemed to decide to moderate the event, too.

"All right," he said in his kingly voice, "Who shall attempt to impress me, first?"

Like children being offered pony rides, several hands shot into the air. Jareth ignored them, and looked at me.

"How about you, Lady… Wren, is it?" he smirked at me. I frowned in return. "A lovely name. It means songbird, if I am not mistaken. Tell me, do you live up to your name?"

"Sure, I squawk." I said, snippily. "But not in front of others. Sorry. Ask someone else."

A genuine smile took his face, "Very well, Lady Allie, then?" he extended a hand to Allie, "Would you like to sing?"

Allie went bright red, sitting down in her chair, "Me? Oh, no… I'm too nervous… I couldn't…"

Dan grabbed my arm and tugged. "Wre-en!" he whined, pathetically, "Please! C'mon, sweetie, please? Pretty please? I need some competition! Pretty please with loads of cherries on top?"

Before I knew it, Dan was helping me pick a song, and I was standing in front of Jareth with a microphone in my hands.

I glared at Jareth, but to Dan, said, "That one, you just passed over it. I'll sing that one."

Dan eyed me, "Carly Simon?"

I nodded and began to sing my own rendition of 'You're so vain'.

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Not many people in my department wanted to sing. Rhonda took a turn, so did Donna, but neither of them could carry a tune in a bucket. It was very embarrassing. Dan was insisting on going last, so he waited while Shaniqua sang some Mariah Carey song, and then he quickly popped in a CD.

Jareth seemed to be quite enjoying himself. It was like Simon, from American Idol, only with spiky hair and glitter. But, while I could tell he was proud of himself for finding a way to get me to sing to him, he had no idea what Dan was planning.

I sure did, but I wasn't about to say anything. He could just get embarrassed for all I cared.

But, even knowing what I did, I was still shocked when I heard the music.

Dan had chosen David Bowie's _Heroes_. Oh dear. I had a bad feeling about this… I mean, it wasn't exactly the song, per se, but the fact that he'd chosen _anything_ Bowie to sing…

He started swaying his hips as the song started, and began singing the lyrics. "I, I wish you could swim… like the dolphins, like the dolphins can swim…"

Poor Allie – I think she couldn't breathe with laughter. Dan, a former dancer, decided to show off his dancing prowess, swaying his hips and dancing around.

So far, things were okay… Dan added new meaning to the phrase about being king and queen, but Jareth didn't quite notice that. I mean, Dan's dancing seemed to actually amuse Jareth to a certain extent - I knew he himself enjoyed a good sway from time to time – but… as the song went on, Dan's intentions/advances became more evident. I just… I can't explain it. I knew Dan, and I knew what he'd do. It wasn't good… I dashed from my chair, hoping to try and stop the situation before it happened.

Jareth was still enjoying the song, it seemed, and was still completely oblivious to Dan, until Dan reached the part in the song that talked about the wall… I don't know how I could have stopped him, but I didn't get there in time.

Dan seated himself on Jareth's lap. Jareth stiffened, giving a steely glare at Dan, who didn't notice. Dan, as he sang the lyrics about kissing and there being no shame, or something like that, stoked Jareth's face.

And I saw it. There was a kind of recognition in Jareth's face, and his eyes took on a dangerous sheen… it was like a chant, going off in my head, screaming one word, over and over.

BOG. BOG BOG BOG!

No! Not Dan!

I tried to speak up, "Dan? Danny? Um… I don't think that's a good idea…" But Dan being Dan, he wasn't listening. He's got a very one-track mind, that boy does.

Dan removed himself from Jareth's lap, which was a relief, but in exchange, his dance moves became slightly more seductive. The light in Jareth's eyes grew, and I now wasn't the only one to notice. A glance at Allie, who was no longer laughing, showed that she was frightened, too. Even some of the others watching were looking worried – while they didn't know about the Bog of Eternal Stench, I bet they could guess that Dan had overstepped his boundaries.

Jareth raised a hand sharply, and I freaked out. I couldn't let Dan get sent to the Bog! I looked around several times, trying to think. Unfortunately, the creative part of my brain wasn't working, and there was only one thing I could think of that would sufficiently calm Jareth's temper – or at least distract him.

I took a deep breath, and didn't think twice. It had to be done. I marched up to Jareth, sat myself down on his lap, yanked his collar towards me, and kissed him, hard. Jareth froze, along with the entire room. Dan dropped his microphone.

Um, I don't think anyone in that room ever expected to see me do that. I'm sure they thought I was trying to eat his face, or something. But… as shocked as everyone was, they seemed even more shocked when 'Jim Bob', hottie extraordinaire, didn't mind my actions and started to kiss me back, his ire forgotten.

Mission accomplished, Dan's sentence dismissed, everyone shocked, and personal mortification permanently in place – I pried myself away from Jareth and walked away, silently.

Okay, okay, so I didn't walk away… I ran like I was being chased by a horde of flesh eating monkeys. With spears. And bazookas.

The idea that I would never be able to face my coworkers again and, therefore, would have to seek employment elsewhere both frightened and saddened me terribly. Seriously, I didn't think I could ever go back in that room again.

I ran as far as I could go, to where I doubted anyone (except Jareth – though he had better have enough sense to stay away) would find me. That happened to be the bathroom… on the other side of the building. Never mind that it was smelly and no one likes it much, or that it's quite small – I never use that one. No one does, and therefore it would be empty.

I flung myself through the doors and back into the handicap stall. Roughly throwing several toilet seat covers on the floor in the corner, I plopped down on them, drew my knees up to my chest and fought tears.

"Wren?" that had been Dan's voice.

"Go away! It's the Ladies Room! Go away!" I shouted, not thinking too much.

"Too late, you already told me to go away – I know you're in there, hon," Dan's shoes were outside the stall door, tapping on the floor. "Are you gonna let me in?"

"Nope. Technically, you shouldn't be in here at all, Dan. It's the ladies room."

He scoffed and began jiggling the latch on the door, "Oh, please. I'm girlier than ninety percent of those that come in here. And, besides," he wiggled it opened and slowly poked his head inside, "I put a sign on the door, saying a man was in here, fixing something," he came on in and sat himself down beside me, "They don't need to know what I'm fixing."

I said nothing. I honestly didn't know what to say.

"Hey, babe," he nudged me, "You want to tell me what happened back there?"

I sniffed, "Not really. I'm not all that sure, myself. How the heck did you know where I was?"

Dan laughed, "Where else would you go, to make sure no one would find you? I'm gay, remember? I know these things." Silence reigned in the room for a moment, before he laughed again, "Cat's out of the bag, you know. It's too late to go on keeping it a secret – and, I confess, Kay and I were suspicious months ago. Might as well tell me about it."

I looked up at him, "What? What do you mean?"

"Oh, c'mon Wren," he waved a hand at me, "Of all people, I understand about secret boyfriends. You don't need to keep hiding him."

"Gosh, Dan, I'm sorry," I sighed, "I… he took me by surprise today. He wasn't my boyfriend, until just recently… we… I mean… oh, this is just weird…"

Dan grinned at me, "Babe, if you can't tell your gay coworker, and friend, who can you tell?" He wrapped an arm around me, lightly.

I smiled, then shook my head, "Man… I've known Jar… Jim, for a while, now. I've had a crush on him forever. We were friends, and then, suddenly, we were more than friends, but we weren't anything official, you know? I've never done this before," everything started coming out in a rush, "And I didn't want to tell everyone that I had a boyfriend if we weren't there yet… I don't know these kinds of things! Then, we finally had our first official date and we argued over me working Saturday and…" I stuttered for a second, "He must have arranged to get on here for the weekend, just to be with me, but the thing is that he didn't tell me! It freaked me out, made me angry and I didn't know what to do! Or say! I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Dan."

Dan waved a hand, "If anyone should be sorry, it's me – but I'm not, so don't you be. I _should _be sorry that I gave you're boyfriend a near-lap dance, but," he shrugged, "He's gorgeous. I don't care how he's committed, or who to, I won't ever be sorry for that. I won't go doing it again, but all the same…"

I giggled, "Well, were it not for his temper, I'd give you permission to do it again. He deserves it, after freaking me out today."

Dan eyed me, knowingly, "That's why you kissed him, isn't it? His temper was all raging?"

I gave Dan an apologetic look, "In a way. See… Jim would never hurt me, I know that, but I've seen his temper rage, and… I didn't know what else to do when he got that look in his eye... Argh!" I threw my hands in the air, "He can be such a jerk sometimes! Why didn't he tell me his plan for today!"

Dan laughed, "Well, thanks, sweetie, for looking out for me – are you sure he's not gay?"

"Huh? Oh," I blushed, "Yes, I'm sure. He just… likes glitter. Metro, I guess you'd call him."

He sighed, "Well, fine, but I will be honest with you in that I am completely jealous of you, Wren, and… well, he's too hot for me _not_ to flirt with him, so you're just going to have to tolerate it."

I nodded, and laughed a little. "Oh, I understand. Flirt all you want."

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It was still a while longer before Dan managed to talk me out of the bathroom. He claimed that everything was just fine, that I shouldn't care what the others thought – he sure didn't, hence why he carries a 'murse' – and that I didn't have to go find a new job. I didn't listen to him at first, but, eventually, I agreed. The smell got to me… could it be possible that there was some spring of BOES in there, hence the constant reeking? I wasn't sure.

Dan all but pushed me back to my desk. I am such a mule. I admit it.

When we got back, there was the oddest sight awaiting me…

'Jim' was arguing with Allie, over at the karaoke machine. 'Jim' was holding the microphone; Allie was talking about a song…

"Okay, it's your idea, but the song you want is lame! You want to do it right, then you use this one! I know Wren, okay?"

"Ahem," Dan said, drawing everyone's attention. I went bright red.

Bill leaned out of his cube, "Wren! Good, you're back! I'm insulted, for your information."

I frowned at him, "Why?"

Lisa smiled at me, "You didn't tell any of us you were seeing someone! Jim explained it to us, Wren. Don't be embarrassed."

"Uh," I looked around to see my team, most of them (Shaniqua and Rhonda were looking quite sulky, but resigned to the fact that 'Jim' was taken), were smiling at me, "Okay, I won't be."

Allie ran over with a smile, "Jim told us that he'd been a jerk and hadn't wanted you to say you were dating but he wants to-"

"Ahem," Jareth, coughed into the microphone as music began to play, "Allie?"

"Oh, right!" she grabbed my arm and led me over to the chair he'd sat in earlier, "Sit here," she instructed.

I looked at Jareth, "What the heck are you up to?" I demanded – causing my team to laugh.

"I," he began, with a flourish, "Need to apologize for making you feel… uncomfortable. And, to show you, Lady Allie was _kind_ enough to choose a song…"

"WHAT?" Was he actually going to… sing? To me? And… holy crap, I recognized this song…

He cleared his throat, struck a pose in front of me, and started to sing in his gorgeous voice, "Humidity rising, uh-huh, Barometer's getting low… According to all sources, the street's the place to go… 'Cause tonight for the first time, just about half-past ten… for the first time in history – It's gonna start raining men!"

I nearly fainted. My hands clamped over my mouth to stifle the laughter – the whole team was laughing hysterically… and then, as the beat picked up, he began dancing, too. Holy crap.

Heaven help me – he's a hot dancer. Shaking his hips like that… should be illegal.

"It's Raining Men! Hallelujah! - It's Raining Men! Amen!  
I'm gonna go out to run and let myself get  
Absolutely soaking wet!  
It's Raining Men! Hallelujah!  
It's Raining Men! Every Specimen!  
Tall, blonde, dark and lean  
Rough and tough and strong and mean…"

If I thought I ever laughed harder before – back when he'd painted my room, or when he'd done something else nutty – I was wrong. I could barely breath! But, at least, neither could anyone else in the room.

When he'd finally finished the last chorus of the song, he stood there, in a final pose, trying to look haughty and proud, as I'm sure the rest of the team thought he was as they broke in to laughing applause – and catcalls (mostly from Dan). But, I could see he was watching me carefully, terrified that I wouldn't accept his apology.

Something seemed to strike my heart at that – he cared what I thought… and he was scared of losing me.

Aw.

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Karaoke had picked up after that, and the remaining time passed very quickly. 'Jim' offered to take me home… after Dan purposefully pinched him.

But, instead of going home, Jareth – after asking me – took me to the Underground, to his throne room.

Once there, I eyed him strangely, "So… Jim Bob? What the heck?"

He shrugged, suddenly back in his usual attire, "I didn't want them to recognize me."

I shook my head, "Your tag could have said GK on it, and I still doubt they would have noticed."

Jareth didn't say anything. I turned to look at him, to find him looking horribly pathetic – sitting on his throne, leaning over with his elbows on his knees and his head low. I frowned; I don't like to see him sad.

I walked over and did my best to perch (not easy!) on the arm of his throne, and patted his back. "Hey, what's wrong?"

He shook his head, "How do you tolerate me?"

I laughed, hard, "What kind of question is that?"

He looked up at me, his eyes very sad and sobering to my laughter, "It seems that all I do is… incorrect. I do nothing but irritate you-"

"And," I cut in, sliding into his lap (couldn't help that, I was losing my balance. It was either his lap, or fall backwards to the floor. I chose the more graceful of the two), "You also make me happy, Jareth."

He eyed me, "Do I, really?"

I wrapped my arms around his neck, "Very much. I've never been as happy as I am with you."

He squeezed me and buried his face in my hair, but said nothing. After a long moment of us just sitting there, I asked, tentatively, "So, what would you like to do with the rest of the day?"

I was expecting some suggestive comment – per usual. I mean, that is what we do, isn't it? He'd make half-hearted advances, I'd smack him, we'd both laugh, and go on with whatever… but that's not what I got. Instead, I heard him sigh.

"Let us just stay as we are, right here," he breathed.

I smiled, "Oh, you can show me more of those dance moves you obviously picked up from Dan…"

His head shot up and he glared at me.

"Kidding, I'm kidding, GK!"

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**A/N: Whoa! That chapter was a monster, wasn't it? So long… didn't mean to get so involved with all that plot (kicks bunnies attached to my shoes) Get off! All of you! This fic is supposed to be more random! Sheesh… well, all the same, I hope you enjoyed it, and as always, please review! Let's see if we can break a review record, shall we? (I have no shame… really, I don't.)**


	17. Wren, the Demonic Creature Slayer!

**Disclaimer: I created Wren, do not steal her. The world around Wren is based partly on reality, but not unfairly portrayed. Jareth is not mine, nor is anything else from Labyrinth, regardless of how much fun it would be if I did own them. I also do not own any movies, or series, mentioned in this fic.**

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**Anij: Yes, Raining Men. Hee. I couldn't resist. **

**Notwritten: Thank you so much! I'm thrilled you like is so much – I can't thank you enough for following this and reviewing faithfully! **

**Yami Moon: What's wrong with beanbag chairs? I mean… compared to his throne or whatnot, don't you think they'd be an odd fascination for him? Hee… Danika has an awesome drawing of his first experience with a beanbag chair, I'll try and get the link for it. I love it.**

**DanikaLareyna: Well, you were the one who said it was suggestive… you forget, I have this horrible problem of taking things literally! Especially lately… dunno why… I think it was going to be something sappy & sweet, like Measure of a Man, by Clay Aiken, or something. I don't know. Something serious, not funny, I'm sure.**

**Contraltissimo: Shred! Lydia says 'hi'. Or was that 'die'? Hard to tell, sometimes… Yes, I'm lucky to have made it through the beginning in one piece! That was one big, mean, plot bunny. It was a lot like that flaming squirrel in Tiny Plaid Ninjas... **

**Sanoru: Oh, that's okay! Yes, I think everyone does have one – I know I do. And, as stereotypical as it sounds, he's just… yeah, I talk girl-talk with him. Nuff said. **

**Mrs. Camui: It's refreshing, isn't it?**

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**I am in an absolutely crazy mood right now, so… yeah, these songs are bound to be a little weird. Sorry.**

**_Soup on a Stick_ by Brak – Ahahahahah! Google this, it ROCKS!**

**_Don't Touch Me_ also by Brak – I'm in a huge Brak mood, can you tell?**

**_MMMBop_ by Hanson – Um… don't ask. **

**_Don't Let Me Get Me_ by Pink – Oh, this is my song. I AM my own worst enemy!**

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**Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but I've got some plot bunnies to spite here… let's mix it up a bit, shall we?**

**And, again, FFnet won't let me insert lines... so zeros it is, again. I do apologize.**

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"No, I won't, GK."

"Why not?"

"Because it's gross."

He scoffed at me, "I completely disagree. It is seemingly delightful. So I am told."

"Who the heck told you that?" I demanded, facing him. "I mean really! If you've never had it, and this is the first time you've considered it, then aside from me, who would have told you it's 'delightful'?"

Jareth stuck his nose in the air, "I am insulted, Wren, that you think you are the only person from the Aboveground I converse with."

I eyed him, my arms folded across my chest. "It was Allie, wasn't it?"

He said nothing for a long moment, but instead looked at me from the side, "No."

"Liar," I turned back to the mixer, "Besides, _delightful_ or not, raw cookie dough is bad for you – the raw eggs, you see. Sure, we'll taste it to see if the batch has too much salt in it, but we are not going to _forgo the entire baking process_ and eat the dough raw."

He pouted a little, but still looked interested in helping me. I'm not sure, exactly, how we'd gotten around to deciding to make cookies. Dad had some weekend conference thing, and decided to make it a road-trip for he and Mom, so – as was happening more and more frequently, I noted – I had the house to myself. That meant Jareth would come and hang out with me.

Funny, that still sounds odd to say.

I'm sure it was even odder to see. We decided to watch the DVD I'd just purchased, (oh, the irony of it all) Jim Henson's _the Storyteller_. I don't know why he picked that over _V for Vendetta_, but oh well. So, Jareth and I took up the couch while watching it, here and there discussing this and that.

What a sight. There, lounging on the couch, in a red frilled shirt and grey _breeches_ with black boots and gloves (curse him! I _swear_! One day, I am just going to rip those stinkin' gloves off!), his long, wild hair splayed about his shoulders, lounged Jareth, looking like something off the cover of one of those smutty romance novels I avoid in bookstores. Then, sitting next to and lounging against him, was me, wearing a superman shirt, cargo Capri's, flip-flops and hair in pigtails…

Pigtails that Jareth found incredibly fascinating to play and pester me with.

Is that how it all started? Meh. That was probably his plan to get to the cookies.

He'd wrapped one arm around me and I could feel one gloved hand stroking my right pigtail, twisting it between his long, gloved fingers. I didn't mind that – I actually like it when people play with my hair. But… quickly, it became obvious that he was no longer out to play with my hair, but to annoy me with it.

I jumped when he twitched the end of the pigtail under my nose. I swatted his hand, and the pigtail, away with my hand and went back to watching the show. I squeaked when I felt it flit about my neck, and felt his chest rumble with a chuckle as I smacked his hand away, again. I gave a near-shriek when the tip of my pigtail wiggled in my ear, for which he laughed in earnest.

I sat up and glowered at him, "Stop that!"

He smirked at me, then grinned, "Then, what would you say to making cookies?"

I blinked, "What?"

"Make cookies. Did your hair affect your hearing?"

"No, I… how the heck do we go from you pestering me, to making cookies?"

He shrugged, "I comprehend it. You promised to make me cookies… what kind was it, you said?"

I blinked again, "Um, chocolate chip?"

He smiled, a slightly dreamy look on his face, "Ah, yes, those sound delightful. Come on, then," he shoved me off him, rather indelicately, and got to his feet. "Where do we start?"

I looked at him from were I was sitting on the couch. Suddenly, I had the oddest vision on him, just as he was, but with a lacey apron around his waist. I snorted, "I start in the kitchen…"

His face fell in a child-like pout, "I want to help," he said, his eyes large.

Would my amazement never end? "You do?"

He nodded, "Yes. I have never made cookies before. I hoped we could make them together."

I got to my feet and made my way to the kitchen. "Um, that's fine… you can help if you want… c'mon, then," I motioned for him to follow me – which he did, a very noticeable bounce to his step.

So… Yeah, I had been there, but I still didn't quite understand how we'd gone from playing with my hair, to making cookies.

I made him wash his…hands. Well, gloves. Stressing cleanliness, I told him he had to wash his hands – in a vain attempt to get him to take off his gloves, mind you, but he washed his gloved hands instead, and then used a crystal to dry them and make sure there wasn't anything 'unsanitary' on them. Dang. I almost had him, there.

And we made a batch of chocolate chip cookies – I was amazed that for once, I had all the ingredients I needed to make them, on hand. He seemed fascinated entirely by the process of our mixer, and of how I insisted on adding one ingredient at a time, rather than dumping everything in at once. I wasn't sure why it changed it, but the cookies were always better that way. He was amazed.

But, then we were faced with the cookie dough, and Jareth had (thanks to Allie, I guessed – though I wasn't too sure) the bright idea to eat the dough and not bake the cookies. I refused. I didn't mind tasting the dough, but… that much cookie dough would make anyone, even a Goblin King, sick, I was certain.

He kept pressing it, even as we put the round balls of dough on a cookie sheet, the oven preheating. "Why not? Where is the harm, Wren?"

I spooned a ball onto the sheet, "I watched Gideon do that, once. He made a batch, and ate it – and it made him sick. I like the dough, but it's much better baked as cookies, I swear. But," I pointed out, "I can let you lick the bowl once we get these in the oven."

Jareth struggled with getting the dough off the spoon I'd given him, "A King does not _lick the bowl_, Wren. It is not dignified."

I snickered, "I just say that… I meant you can spoon what's left out and try it, Jareth. I didn't actually mean for you to stick your head in my mixing bowl and _lick_ it."

We finished and I began to put the sheet of cookies in the oven. Jareth looked at me, wiggling his fingers.

"Wren," he said, looking very child like again, "I am all sticky."

I motioned towards the bathroom (the kitchen sink was a little full, and half was covered by a cutting board to make more 'counter space' for us, while we baked), laughing, "Well, you're a grown up Goblin King, go and wash off the ick in the bathroom."

He nodded and headed down the hall. I started cleaning up the mixer stuff, setting the bowl aside with our spoons in it for later.

And I heard the strangest thing I'd ever heard in my life. Really, I don't have words that do the situation justice. I mean it. But, I'll try to explain…

Jareth was… well, shouting? I'd say screaming, but I wouldn't call it a scream, exactly. But, I suppose for my purposes you could call it a scream. Whatever it was, it was rather… girly. And he went running out of the bathroom, shrieking, into the hallway and into the living room.

Thinking, I don't know, that he'd just had his ears ripped off or something, I ran after him.

"Jareth! What in the-"

"WREN!" he grabbed me and pulled me behind the chair he was crouching behind. I noticed he had a crystal in his had, at the ready… what? "Wren, oh, good, you are safe… it did not attack you!"

"_What_ didn't attack me?"

"The demonic creature which has invaded your bathroom," he said in a hushed voice, looking over the edge of the chair. Despite his answering my question, I knew he wasn't listening to me. "Could it have followed me, somehow…"

Okay, what the heck?

I grabbed his face and turned it towards me, "What is in my bathroom, Jareth? Tell me, now."

His breathing increased and he blinked a few times, "Now, Wren, it is small, and I suppose you may consider it relatively harmless, but I assure you it is evil and exceedingly demonic…"

"_What is it_!" I demanded.

He inhaled a staggering breath, "A cockroach."

Inspite of his seriousness, a bark of laughter shot from my throat, "_That's_ what scared you?"

He gave me an incredulous look, "They are _evil_! I have good reasons to fear them, as does anyone else who knows anything of them!"

I pried his hands off me and made my way down the hallway, to look in the bathroom. I did hate roaches – is there a sane person who would _love_ them? – but… I kill them. They don't frighten me, really.

Still, if this frightened the Goblin King… I peeked around the door into the bathroom. Oh, yes, there it was. An inch, perhaps an inch and a half at the very most… a small brown roach. Disgusting, but nothing out of the ordinary. The way Jareth had acted, I half expected a dragon to be sitting in my bathtub.

I groaned and headed to my room to get a good, hard shoe. Then, shoe in hand, I came back into the bathroom, smacked it good (I hate how you have to hit them more than once to kill them… or, at least, I do) and cleaned it up the Clorox my mother keeps under the sink. Then, a few gag-noises later, roach gone and bathroom (and shoe) sterile, I nearly fried the skin off my arms with antibacterial soap and the hottest water my bathroom sink could muster. I had cookies in the oven – I wasn't taking any chances with germs, even though I hadn't touched it.

I emerged from the bathroom, and jumped. Jareth was flat up against the hall wall, as if he was ready to storm the bathroom with sabotage, or something. His mouth was pressed into a thin line and he was stretched up to almost past his full height. His back was flat against the wall, as was his left palm – his right palm was the only thing that stuck out from the wall. It was holding a crystal, like a lucky charm, I realized. Or protection.

He was looking at me, stunned, his eyes huge. "You disposed of it?" he whispered.

I snorted, "Um, yeah. I wasn't going to just let that thing go. I killed it, it's gone."

"Oh, Wren… You really killed it?"

"No, I'm only saying that, I actually caught it and stuck it in my pocket."

He yelped and pressed himself farther into the wall, shoving the crystal forward, towards my pant's pockets. I rolled my eyes, completely stunned. He was… afraid of roaches? Now, that was unreal…

"I'm kidding! Ew, I wouldn't catch one!" I snickered and laughed for a moment, taking in his rather comical appearance. "And I washed my hands, extremely good," I held up my red palms to him, as proof. Walking past him, I kissed my fingers and touched them to his currently thin-lipped mouth (he was standing up too tall for me to actually kiss him, else I would have), and laughed, "Don't worry, Goblin King. You're girlfriend killed the bug for you."

He followed me into the kitchen, "Now, see here, Wren!" He said, angrily, "I you dealt with cockroaches in the Underground-"

I looked at him sharply, "They have them in the Underground?"

He waved a hand, disgustedly, "Oh, they are everywhere," he pulled a face and shuddered before recovering to his regal indignity, "But if you were to deal with them, you would understand how logical my reaction to them is!"

The buzzer for the cookies sounded, and I moved to take them from the oven, with mitts on my hands, "Well, what makes them any different than the _relatively harmless_ one I just killed?"

He folded his arms across his chest, a vaguely triumphant smile on his face, "I do not know how they got to the Underground – probably on some grubby person with horrid hygiene habbits-"

"Nice alliterations."

"Erm, thank you – anyway, the magic of the Underground has eventually changed them. You may choose to believe me or not, but there they are vile, flesh-eating fire-breathers which cause chaos you cannot imagine!"

I shuddered with the sheet of cookies, "Okay, that's bad. How big are they?"

He rolled his eyes at me, "Magic rarely affects size of creatures, Wren, unless the magic is wielded by one with intent, such as myself. Natural magic would not make them larger."

"So… they're still small?"

His face blanked, "Yes."

"Are they armored or something?"

"No."

"So how many goblins, or whatever, have died from them?"

"None yet, thankfully."

"Then how do you know they eat flesh?"

Jareth heaved a sigh, "They eat anything, why not flesh? And, before you ask it, I have seen them fleeing the scene of flames which they obviously caused, and so I know they breathe fire."

I raised an eyebrow, "Sounds like you're just afraid of them. You assume they eat flesh, and roaches don't like fire, so perhaps something else started the flames and they were just fleeing? No offense, Jareth, but it sounds like you're trying to rationalize an irrational fear."

"The Goblin King does _not_ have irrational fears!" he said, stomping a boot on the tiled floor. "They are vile, evil, demonic creatures, Wren. Do I need more of a reason to fear them?"

I smiled and got a spatula to remove the cookies from the sheet, "No. I suppose not. Want a cookie?"

His face instantly brightened and he retrieved a bowl from the cupboard. Stacking them in the bowl, in an elaborate pattern of his choosing (he is such a girl sometimes!), he walked me, carrying the bowl of warm cookies, (he scooped up the bowl with raw dough still left in it, though there really wasn't that much left anyway) back to where we had been sitting earlier on the couch.

I watched him with fascination as he quickly decided the warm, oven fresh cookies were better than just the cookie dough, and chewed happily on one. I resumed our DVD.

Two cookies later, Jareth was holding a third, eyeing it. I had eaten one, and was trying to resist more. I leaned against his chest, watching the show as he twirled the cookie in his fingers. When the cookie disappeared, I figured he'd eaten it.

That is, until I found it wiggling it's way under my nose, just as my pigtail had done, earlier.

I swatted his hand away again – how was it that he could make a cookie, a COOKIE, tickle my nose? – and looked at him. He was grinning very wildly. I would say he grinned devilishly, but it's hard to say that to someone with chocolate on his mouth.

"Would you like another cookie, Wren?" he asked with feigned innocence, "Or shall I stick this in your ear, too?"

I burst out laughing, "Cookies bring out the weirdness in you, you know?"

He licked the chocolate off his lips, wrapped an arm around me, and sighed, "Cookies are delightful, but I believe it is you that brings out _the weirdness_, as you say. " I grinned at his words, nabbed up a lock of his long hair, and wiggled it into his own ear. He yelped and pulled away.

"Dang straight, it does!"

**0000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

**A/N: Man, how did I manage this chapter so fast! I have no flippin clue... it just came out.**

**I apologize for the slight OOCness of Jareth… but I couldn't resist. Aren't irrational fears the BEST? For the record, mine is moths. Like Jareth, I have no logical reason for being petrified of them. Just thought I'd say that.**

**Reviewers are welcome to Wren's leftover cookies! Mmm… chocolate chip…**


	18. Double Blind Date with Lachlan

**Disclaimer: I am the supreme monarch of the world… just, no one realizes it. Duh! I own only Wren. Steal her, or my plots, and you are giving me permission to hurt you. I also do not own 'On the Border', though I love their food, and eat there often, or David Bowie, though I adore him completely. CHICKENS! (oops, private joke there…)**

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**Notwritten: Wow, that's like a review haiku… very deep!**

**DanikaLareyna: I have no patience, I want it NOW! That was so cool, hearing first hand how funny my stuff was. I'm so lucky to have such friends… with cell phones… and Verizon…**

**MelodyWolfhart: Randomness rules – for the most part. I can't say all the time, because then it wouldn't be random, would it? David used to scare me, too… and then I became a fan. Such a thin line between fear and fandom…**

**Mrs. Camui: Everyone has something they fear - why should Jareth be excluded? Seriously! And... oh, why not cockroaches? hee! I can feel a recurring (sp?) joke coming on, here...**

**Adelaide Holmes: Oh, fear not, dear reviewer, I WILL continue on… I most definitely shall…**

**Laochra: You know, I like to excuse Jareth OOCness with the idea that people generally have the wrong ideas about him... or, at least, not all the correct information. Everyone has something to fear, why should a king be exempt?**

**Yami Moon: Yes, yes he is. I have no idea why, though... Oh, I can't let him get started on the dough! His shirts wouldn't fit him, after enough of that!**

**Anij: Hee! Oh, I'm thrilled you liked it! Everyone is seeing the side of Jareth that they just didn't portray in the film, I suppose... He's very faceted, you know. The question is, what can I come up with... and the answer is quite a bit. Hee.**

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**Music choices: **

**_I just Wanna Be Mad for Awhile_ by Terri Clark – hee. This always makes me smile.**

**Um, sorry the music is a little sparse this chapter. Too much plot, you see, has caused me to… well, take for ages to get this out, and therefore forget what all I listened to while writing it. Oops. Better next time, I swear.**

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Ever had a panic attack? They aren't fun, I promise you. Really, I'm not all that a panicky person… fine, check that. I _wasn't_ one, until I met Jareth, and then… well, there was a lot more in my life, including fair doses of panic.

But, really, isn't that expected for any young girl who's living at home and dating a monarch of a country that, according to reality, doesn't exist? I'm sure if there are any other mortal girls in my situation (and… okay, I kinda hope there aren't…) we could form a support group or something. I'm sure they would understand what I am talking about.

Now, I've had my fair share of panic where Jareth is concerned, but… um, how do I explain this? For once, this panic that does concern him wasn't _actually _caused by him. I was caused by a phone call from my brother, Lachlan.

Yeah, wanna guess what he called for? Go on, take a WILD guess. I dare you.

My cell phone rang late in the afternoon, just as I was leaving work on a Thursday evening. As you all know, I am the last one to leave the office so I was basically alone. I waved to the guards when my cell started chirping a cheery version of "Rebel Rebel" on my hip and I answered it as I left the building.

"Hello?" I asked. I hadn't bothered to look at the caller ID on my cell.

I smiled when Lachlan's cheerful voice met my ears. "Hey, sis, how's it going?" he asked.

"Hey, Lach," I smiled, digging through my pockets for the car keys. "Things are good. How are you doing?"

"Um…" he hesitated. That was not a good sign. Lachlan rarely hesitates. When he does hesitate, it's for a somewhat sneaky reason – he is, after all, Orla's brother, too. "Actually," he said, "I've got a favor to ask of you."

I paused in my search for the keys. "What kind of favor?" I asked, more than a little worried.

"Okay," he started, "Here's the deal. One of my studio buddies called in a favor with me, and, really, long story short, I've got a blind date with a friend of a friend, Saturday evening."

I frowned. I didn't like where this was going. "What does that have to do with me? I wasn't included on the deal you made. That's your date, dear brother."

His voice went whiny and pleading, "Wren, please! You don't understand. I'm not good on blind dates! When anyone tells people I'm an artist they… ah, well, I don't know what they expect of me. I think they expect me to wear loads of black, have spiky hair, and lots of eye makeup!"

I snorted. "Oh, they do, do they?"

"Yes!" he whinned, "They do, Wren! Look, I… ah, you know I wouldn't ask you, if I wasn't desperate. And…"

"And what?"

"And," I could practically hear him swallow on the other side of the phone, "I have been looking forward to meeting that guy your seeing."

Cue panic attack.

"Uh, no, I don't think so, Lachlan. That's NOT happening." I said, very quickly.

"Ah, Wren, c'mon!" I heard him sigh, "Look, I know that you really like the guy you are seeing, so setting you up with someone else isn't an option, but you can't come alone!"

"Who says I'll go at all?" I demanded, shouting at my own reflection in my car window.

The phone was silent for a long while. I had to check to make sure my time was still running. Finally, he spoke up in a pitiful voice. "Look Wren, the thing is, I really need someone to come with me. If I don't get you to come, Orla has already offered and, as you might guess, I don't want her there any more than you want her to stick her nose in your dating, either. The only way I could get her off the scent was to tell her that I already asked you! Please, Wren? Please don't make me take Orla!"

Oh, would play dirty, wouldn't he?

"Gosh! Fine, I'll do it – but I have two conditions."

"Oh, man, thank you, thank you! Name them, anything!"

I sighed, "First off," I pointed a finger at my own reflection, "I am swearing you to secrecy about who I'm dating. You got that? I mean it! No one is told. Not Mom, Dad, and _especially_ not Orla."

"Deal, deal, I swear I won't say a word! What else?"

"Um… secondly, you aren't allowed to tell anyone we know _where_ it is we'll be going to."

"Why?"

I snorted, "What do you think? You've told Orla that I'll be going with you! She will know that means I'll be bringing a date, and I would bet you money that she'll just _happen_ to run into us there, just to get a glimpse of him. So, no chatting around about locations, with the exception of myself and the girl you're going with, deal?"

"Ah, I see you're point. Yes, I'll agree to your terms, dear sister. I'll stay silent, I swear!"

I groaned into the phone, "Urrrgh, you _better_ be…"

* * *

Oh, the way home, I was near frantic. And, for what it's worth, that's not the best way to drive… especially during rush hour traffic.

But, I couldn't help it. You see, I kept going over the various scenarios of what would happen on when my brother is introduced to the Goblin King – and that's assuming that Jareth would even consent to go at all. None of the scenarios were good, mainly because I could never, in my mind, get past the introductions.

I could see it all…

First scenario: Lachlan would stand up, extending a hand, and saying, "Hello, nice to meet you…" and then I would quickly jump in to introduce him. "Um, Lachlan, this is Jareth the Goblin… Gaublayne… Jareth Gaublayne…" Then Jareth would look at me with a stunned face, saying "That is the best you can do?"

Second scenario: Lachlan would stand up, extending a hand, and saying, "Hello, nice to meet you…" and then I would quickly jump in to introduce him, just as I did in the first scenario. "Um, Lachlan, this is Jareth… King…" oh, no, that is too fan-fiction-ish, and no one would accept that. Better think quick, Wren… "Um… sley… ton. Jareth Kingsleyton, yes. A bit of a mouthful there, isn't it?" And, then, in my head, Lachlan would look at me and say, "That is the best you can do?"

Third scenario: Lachlan, like the other two, would stand up and say, "Hello, nice to meet you…" and I would jump in to introduce him, just as I would always do. "Um, Lachlan, this is Jareth…" and then, knowing me, I would look frantically around the restaurant and try and find something random, and probably spot the dessert cart first, "…Mousse. Jareth Mousse… yes, he's European…" And, then, in my head, Lachlan's date looks at me and says, "Oh, please, not even I'm buying that one…"

By the time I got home, I had actually come up with fourth scenario, too. In this one, it starts as all the others do, but this time, I can't even think of a name at all. "This is Jareth… uh, Jareth…" and, of all things, the Jareth in my head, who is very sick and tired of all my scenarios, decides to take things into his own hands. "Jareth Jimbob," he says, with a mighty flourish and a charming smile, "At your service." At which point, the waiter walks by and laughs, "Oh, yes, that's believable."

So you can see why I was in quite the mood when I got home. Of all days, both my parents were home, and were in the mood for family time. I walked into them doing some kind of jigsaw puzzle they'd purchased as a souvenir on their last trip out of town. My dad smiled at me, "Ah, Wren! Great, you're just in time! Want to help us?"

I gritted my teeth, "No, not really."

My mom looked worried, "Wren, honey, what's wrong?"

I tried to smile. I don't think I succeeded. "Lachlan suckered me into going on a double date with him, this Saturday night! I'm not that happy about it!"

"Aw," my mom said, trying to kind, "Don't worry honey, you're really nice, I'm sure you'll find someone to go with you."

I think my eye twitched, "Sure, Mom, whatever you say… I'm going to my room…"

Once in my room, I dropped my stuff, locked my door – so neither of my parents would come in and find me gone, and subsequently freak out – counted my ring, and went to find Jareth.

Luckily, upon arriving in the Underground, I recognized where I was, in the corridor near the Throne room. I could tell he was in there. I think part of me should be disturbed by the fact that my Jareth-sense was becoming more precise, but… yeah, not something I wanted to think about at the moment.

I entered the room to find Jareth sitting with a small table in front of him. I blinked twice, because it was an odd sight. On the other side of the table was a stool of equal height, on which stood a very small… what would you call it? A Brownie? A small Imp thing? Something like that. On the table between them was a checkerboard. I watched as Jareth, the black checkers, jumped three red checkers – cheating, most likely. The Brownie raised a fist and squeaked at him furiously.

Jareth shrugged at him, "That is how the game is played, is it not?"

The Brownie huffed and stomped his way across the board, retrieving a red checker, and hopping in a very complicated manner, jumped at least five black checkers. I snickered as Jareth's face fell. I distinctly heard a tiny, triumphant voice holler at him, saying, "King me!"

Jareth frowned and glared at the Brownie, "Do you not have bricks to clean, somewhere?" The Brownie quickly hopped off the table and went skittering out of the room. I was still laughing when Jareth turned to face me.

"You cheated," I said, pointedly, taking the now empty stool.

He raised his nose in the air, "He cheated first, I was merely compensating." With a wave of his hand, the table and checkerboard vanished. He smiled at me, leaning back in his seat, "But, enough politics. What is bothering you, my dearling?"

I decided not to question how it was that politics with Brownies included checkers, and sighed, "I didn't say anything was wrong."

He raised an eyebrow at me, "You did not need to. I can see it, on your face. Now, tell, me, what has upset you?"

I sighed, and explained the situation. Jareth, though, did not seem quite as upset as I did, when I finished telling him all about the double date. In fact, he seemed excited.

"Ah, sounds delightful, Wren!" he said, clapping his hands, "I have been looking forward to meeting your family."

I blinked at him, "You… have been? Really?"

He touched a hand to his chin, "Well, erm, some of them…" he looked about, almost worriedly, "Your brother, Lachlan, are you fond of him?"

"Yes, I am," I said, and then grinned, "He's the one who helped me grill the burgers, remember?"

"Oh," his face broke out in a smile, "Wonderful!"

"No, not wonderful!" I said, feeling the panic attack again, "I mean, sure, better Lachlan than Orla, but a blind double-date? Not good, Jareth! Not good at all!"

Jareth's smile faded quickly, and I watched his eyes bore into me. I swallowed. It wasn't often that I felt the full effect of Jareth's title, but… as I stood there, I couldn't help but feel like I was standing in front of the Goblin King, not Jareth, my boyfriend. He was scrutinizing me, I could tell. After a long moment, he cleared his throat.

"Are you ashamed to bring me?" he asked, stoically.

Ouch, that stung! "No! Never!" I looked into his eyes, catching a slightly hurt look. Just a slight one. I put my hands on his shoulders and seated myself sideways on his lap then squeezed his neck tightly. "I'm not, Jareth, I swear… but, really, while I wouldn't trade you for the world, I'm not sure as how to introduce you! This… uh, this is going to be a disaster!"

He pulled away and looked at me quizzically. "Usually, I am announced as His Royal Highness, Lord of the Labyrinth, Master of Magic, Jareth the Magnificent. Is there a problem with that?"

I frowned, giving him a dirty look. "Announced? Where do you think we'd be going, anyway? Gosh, and besides, I don't think Lachlan will accept that."

He shrugged, disappointed, "Yes, well…"

I eyed him, and grinned, "… the Magnificent?"

He gave me his famous smirk, "Well, I added that part myself."

I snorted, "Could have fooled me." I kissed him lightly – partly hoping it would alleviate my panic that wasn't going away. It didn't really, but… it was still nice. He pulled away, having an idea.

"Mfalme," he said.

"God bless you,"

"No," he shook his head, "You may introduce me as Jareth Mfalme."

What the heck? Was he just, I don't know, making up words? "_Mfalme_?"

Lucky me, he totally understood the look on my face, "Yes," he explained, "It means 'King'.

I released his neck and folded my arms, dubious. "In what language? Goblin?"

He scoffed and looked hurt, "No, in Swahili. Oh, will you stop laughing!"

I think he caught me from falling off his lap – something in that just struck me as incredibly funny! I mean, Swahili? C'mon, people. Lachlan was an artist, not stupid. And, part of me could see Jareth standing in the middle of an African jungle, complaining about the humidity ruining his hair… in Swahili.

"Okay, okay," I breathed regaining control, "Not to be a kill joy, but I don't think Lachlan will accept that, either."

"And why not? It is perfectly regal."

"…and yet, something says it will draw attention to the fact that are _not_ African, and cause more ruckus than it's worth. How about a more believable heritage? Like… mmm," I stared at his complexion. "Well, you're pasty enough to be Irish, but your accent screams British. Lets go for an Anglo-Saxon name, if possible."

Jareth puffed out his chest, seeming to be quite offended, "Excuse me?" he said, haughtily, "I am NOT pasty! My tan has been coming along rather nicely…"

Okay, Wren, just pick your battles. That one was too easy to get into a laughing fit over. Better to focus on names, while you have his attention. "Um, whatever… back to names? Do you have any British or English ones?"

He gave me a withering look before pursing his lips in thought. I watched him tap his fingers on the arm of his throne, very slowly. "What of Kendricks?"

Interesting… Jareth Kendricks? Believable. "Not bad. What does it mean?"

He sat up straight and puffed out his chest, regally (Man, I felt like I was dating a peacock or something), "Derived from the Aboveground Old English name, _Cyneric_, it is believed to mean, 'royal power'. I have always been fond of it."

I nodded, feeling a little relief ease into my chest, "Good. Jareth Kendricks it is. Now, we just need to discuss what to wear…"

He wrapped an arm around me, stood, and sat me on my feet, "Ah, excellent. I am glad you brought up the subject."

I frowned. I mean, I figured he'd not want me telling him what to wear… not that I don't love the things he does wear (those poet shirts really do flatter him, in my opinion… which probably isn't worth much, being as how it's a highly biased one), but you know, he can't exactly go around that way in the Aboveground without drawing some attention. "Um, you are?"

"Yes," he said hurriedly, looking at me, up and down, "Now, bear in mind, this only a test, but after that wretched fan fiction you made me read some time back, I have been curious as to how that custom dress would look on you…"

My eyes went huge, "What the heck are you talking-" he seemed to snap his fingers, and there was a poof, "-about… oh dear."

I was in, or at least appeared to be in, a frilly ball gown… oh, help me. It was frightening. It shimmered, rustled, sparkled… oh, there were ruffles everywhere. And it was just… pink and shiny… and mortifying… like Cinderella's dress but made by fluffy bunnies who only eat cotton candy and live in the land of sugar and fluff. No, no… it looked like I walked out of a Candy-land game.

Some forms of mortification cannot be hidden, no matter how much you like the person. Jareth caught my face instantly and smiled devilishly, "Oh, Wren, it is SO you!"

I hung my head, "Oh boy…"

* * *

I spent most of that night and the next day (any chance I could slip away from my desk for a few moments) arguing with Jareth about what to do, say, wear, etc. See, I didn't take him for a fool – as he kept saying I was – but there were somethings that… well, for example, he totally had to be careful of… well, demanding things. I reminded him that while with me, he couldn't me the Goblin King, he had to be Jareth Kendricks.

Jareth seemed alright with that, but… I was just worried that he'd demand something of a waiter or something to that extent. I just had this horrid feeling that he'd do something that an average Jo wouldn't do. I was amazed he still agreed to go with me.

Lachlan called me to tell me that we'd be eating at Nokomis' (that was the girl's name, by the way) favorite place, On the Border – one of our local Mexican food restaurants. I like On the Border, very much, but… Jareth hadn't ever eaten Mexican food that I knew of. My worry increased at the thought of what the spicy food would do to him. Well, I suppose that's a bridge to cross when we get there, right?

All too soon, Saturday evening was upon us, and Jareth (secured in the passenger's seat of my car, after only a brief struggle with the seatbelt) and I were outside the restaurant.

Seeing the brightly colored exterior and fluorescent colored lights seemed to delight Jareth. "This place looks… fascinating."

I gripped the steering wheel, "It's Mexican food. Um… be careful on what you order, okay? This is the Southwest… we like spices."

He waved a hand at me, "Oh, tosh, Wren. If you can handle it passably, then I can as well. Are you not you the least bit happy that I agreed to wear these _clothes_? I thought you were."

"I am," I glanced him over. I wasn't going to tell him, but the slate gray carpenter jeans and deep, wine colored button-up shirt I'd convinced him to conjure up to wear suited him very nicely… even if they were rather tight on him. Thinking on what he could have worn instead…

You see, in our _discussions_, he'd tried to be nice to me (which I appreciated, really). For whatever reason you can imagine, he thought it would be a nice gesture on his part to model his outfit after my favorite celebrity, David Bowie (or, as he'd said at the time, Donald Booty).

This episode included him going through a variety of outfits that increasingly made me wish I could use my camera on him. The first attempt was laughably unacceptable, as he'd decided to try 'the Man Dress', that Bowie wore on the cover of his album, 'The Man Who Sold the World'. Now, the dress was bad enough, but he'd also adjusted his hairstyle to match. It tumbled in messy waves about his shoulders. I instantly said, "No!"

Well, this went on for a while, during which we went through several different Bowie-eras. A banana-yellow suite with color-matching hair, a pirate with an eye patch and a red mullet, a clown, a leopard-print jumpsuit with a pale trench coat (yes, much like the one he painted my room in)… Then there was one very tempting version of Screaming Lord Byron and an even more tempting version of the Thin White Duke, orange hair included, and I had to stop him, flat out. I would die of hilarity if he got to Ziggy Stardust… I finally begged him to give up on trying to look like Bowie any more than he already did, and we flipped through the men's section of a catalogue I had, to pick something out. Not that we didn't argue over all of it, but still…

In the end, we were both satisfied with what he had on. Dang, though, it looked better on him than I thought it would… much better than the dumb catalogue model.

Oh, and his hair. That had been our biggest issues, next to all the clothes. I'd finally managed to let him have me pull it back with a hair band at the nape of his neck, smoothing down as many of his wild strays as I could. That, believe it or not, was a compromise.

But, all in all, he looked very nice. I grinned. "Okay, let's see if Lachlan's here yet."

Speak of the gooney, as soon as we'd gotten out of the car, I heard my voice being called.

"Wren! Wren!" I turned to see my brother running up – he'd been waiting by the door for me. "Oh, fabulous, you made it!"

I hugged him, if stiffly. I was still slightly peeved for him getting me roped into this. But… what can I say? He's my cool brother. I can't stay mad at him for long. He looked nice, too, I noted absently. He'd pulled his shoulder length hair back, too, and was wearing a royal blue button up shirt and black slacks. I motioned to his clothes, "Very classy, Lach. You look all spiffy!"

He smiled, nervously, "Thanks, sis. You're not too shabby yourself," (I, for the record, was wearing a three-quarter sleeve, flower-patterned shirt and my best jeans, with my hair wavy). "Hey where's your mystery man?"

I grinned, just as nervously, "Um, behind you… Jareth?"

Jareth came over around to where we stood, and smiled, "Yes, Wren?"

It was suddenly very hard to breathe. Here went nothing… "Jareth, this is my brother, Lachlan. Lachlan, this is my mystery man, Jareth Kendricks."

Jareth grinned and held a hand out to my brother, "A pleasure to meet you."

Lachlan's eyes went wide and it was a minute before he was able to shake Jareth's hand, and even that seemed reluctant. I could nearly see the conflicting emotions on Lach's face. He didn't want to offend me, but he also couldn't believe the man I was dating. It was hard to say whether or not he approved. Lachlan was polite, and not prone to make a scene, after all.

"What?" I said when he looked at me, after releasing Jareth's hand, "Who'd you think I'd be dating? A librarian, or something?"

Lachlan shook his head, "No, of course not…" Uh-huh, yeah. I apparently radiate the nerdy vibes when it came to my choices in men. I was going to strangle my brother, later, in private. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Kendricks," I noticed Lachlan inhale slowly and… I watched, in mild frustration, as he brushed his hand on his slacks, as if he'd get cooties from Jareth. I frowned at him. He saw this and instantly tried to change the subject. "I think Nokomis is already here, so lets go in and find my date."

Lachlan led the way into the restaurant, quickly explaining that his buddy who'd set them up had showed him a picture of Nokomis, and so he just had to look for her. Jareth surprised me my offering me his arm as we followed Lachlan. I took it, my heart fluttering as I did so, and some of my tension easing at his touch.

The hostess dropped her clipboard when she saw Jareth. I snickered, Jareth just grinned. But… yeah, I tell you, I got a lot of very angry glares from the women dining there. Oh, you couldn't _not_ notice Jareth, he was just so tall, but the women, once they saw him, would then look at me and frown, glare, scoff, or some combination of those. Oddly enough, I didn't feel bad from it, though. After all, he was mine. They could scoff all they wanted to. He was mine! Ahahaha!

We found Nokomis, quickly enough. She was really cute, I noticed right away, and… funnily enough, she reminded me of Lachlan, somehow. She had chin length brown hair that was very curly and pretty, and green eyes, and wore a black shirt/skirt combo.

I was pleased to see she recognized Lachlan right away – that was good. And she smiled – that was better. Then, Lachlan turned to Jareth and I and began to introduce us.

"This is my youngest sister, Wren," he began, "And this-"

When her eyes fell on Jareth, her mouth fell open and she went kinda pale. "Holy cow," she said, "It's David Bowie… no, can't be…"

I laughed, but not at Nokomis. No, I caught Jareth's face – ah, priceless. He'd turned to me, looking rather helpless, and it made me laugh out loud, just a little.

Lachlan tried to say something, but then he looked at Jareth, too, and seemed to be pondering the resemblance, as well. This look on my brother's face soon turned to annoyance – or at least that stony-face he uses to hide his annoyance when he's in public. Like I said before, he _is_ polite… Wren to the rescue. I turned my laugh into a cough.

"He gets that all the time," I said to Nokomis, pleasantly, "But, no, this is Jareth Kendricks, my boyfriend." Dude, was it just me, or was I acting slightly possessive of him? Or… more than slightly?

The girl shook her head and whistled softly, "Man, I don't know what you do for a living, but you should think of going into being an impersonator. You're real good… well," she eyed him up and down, an action that brought a red hue to Lachlan's face (crap crap crap), "Perhaps you're a bit too tall, and slightly beefier, but… all the same… Oh, I'm sorry, where are my manners, everyone sit, please. Let's order," she motioned for the waitress as we sat down.

We sat at a square table. Nokomis and I were facing each other, as were Lach and Jareth. I motioned for Jareth to scoot his chair closer to mine, just a bit, and I slid over a few more inches towards him – this, thankfully, lessened the hue of red in Lachlan's face.

I was about to lean over to Jareth and whisper to him to try and follow my lead in what to order, but a waitress had already dashed to the table (I noticed several of them were huddled around a pillar near the kitchens, watching our table in fascination – gee, wonder why.) blushing furiously.

"I'm sorry for the wait," she said, breathily, looking pointedly at my boyfriend, "Um, can I get you all anything to drink?"

Nokomis ordered a diet soda, and Lachlan ordered a Guinness and a glass of water. My head snapped over to look at him, in shock. It took all I had not to gasp.

Um, I didn't know he drank… no one in my family did. I sure as heck didn't (energy drinks were as strong as I got!). And, besides that, I wasn't accustomed to being around alcohol, if that makes sense. Something about it makes me uneasy…I figured, as he'd ordered some water, too, that the drink was to calm his nerves, but still… I don't know. There was something about finding out someone does something you never thought he'd do that kinda feels like a slap in the face. Lachlan gave me a quiet, apologetic smile. I was willing not to bring it up now, out of respect, but I felt very uneasy.

Not to mention that I had no idea what Jareth would order. I knew Jareth enjoyed wine, from time to time, but that was rare, really. I'd not introduced him to soda, yet. The waitress turned to me. "And what would you like?"

While soda would probably settle my now upset stomach, bubbles didn't sound appealing at the moment. "Um, strawberry lemonade, please." I said with a fake smile.

Jareth was eyeing me, and I knew full well that he'd caught my discomfort.

Dumb waitress. She decided to flirt with him. "Now, last but not least," she said, "What can I get you, sir? Did you get a chance to look at the wine list?"

Hmm, I suppose he just had that 'wine' aura about him, as much as I had 'nerdy-boyfriend' aura. Tell me, why do people assume anything? Ever?

"Oh, no thank you," he said with a small, cool smile, before turning a very warm smile to me, and placing his hand over mine on the table, "I shall have what Wren is having, if you would be as kind, miss."

The waitress looked stunned, "Um, alright. Two strawberry lemonades it is, then…"

* * *

We spoke for a little while, mostly small talk, and we finally ordered our food.

"Wren," Jareth whispered to me as we all perused the menus, "What would you recommend? I am afraid I am not familiar with these items… what is an empanayda?"

"_Empanada_," I corrected, gently, "It's one of those things," I pointed to a picture, "They're filled with either chicken or beef. Very good, actually."

"Hmm," he seemed to consider it. "What are you planning on requesting for dinner?"

"Me? I dunno…" I looked over the menu. It had been a very long time since I'd eaten there. "I was thinking about getting the chicken enchiladas, with sour cream sauce. For you…" I thought hard, trying to find something he'd like that wasn't too spicy. "I'd recommend the big Bordurrito. It's a big burro with either chicken or beef, and it's really good."

He looked skeptical, "_Bordurrito_? Are you sure?"

I smiled and patted his hand, "Yes. It's good, trust me."

After the waitress took our orders (Lachlan having ordered some grilled meat thingy, and Nokomis chose the Fiesta salad), we were brought a bowl of chips and salsa with our drinks. Mmm, I love salsa, I really do. I went ahead and dipped a chip in the salsa and munched on it, happily.

Nokomis, who had been in conversation with Lachlan, suddenly turned to Jareth. "So, Jareth, what do you do?"

I nearly choked on salsa. I didn't even think of his occupations! Lachlan patted me on the back while I coughed. I brushed his hand away – I was upset with my brother at the moment, even if I smiled at him, and really didn't want him to touch me. Jareth cleared his throat.

"Well," he said, "I often take small posts of employment for security on the sixth day of the week to…" he smiled, "supplement my regular occupation. That is how I met Wren, incidentally."

"Fascinating," she said, giving me a slightly envious look.

Lachlan eyed him, almost suspiciously, "Security, huh? What do you do the rest of the week?"

He smiled at Lachlan coolly, as if meeting a challenge. "I have a management position with a service that is mainly concerned with relocating unwanted children."

Oh, he was slick. I tried hard not to giggle.

"Ooh," this really caught Nokomis eye, "Like Child Protective Services? That's got to be rough, to take kids away…"

Lachlan didn't hear her, "If you're in management, why do you need a supplemental income?" he asked. Now he was blatantly digging for flaws. I was SO going to murder him. He thought what I almost did to Orla was bad – just wait until I didn't have any witnesses.

Jareth sighed, answering Nokomis, "Oh, yes, it is difficult at times. Fortunately for me, this service is not a constant thing, but that fact, Lachlan," he said, with a smile, turning to my brother, "Is the reason for supplementation."

Nokomis seemed to like that answer, and then started to change subjects, discussing Lachlan's job with him. Unfortunately, Lachlan kept shooting looks at Jareth that weren't too nice… I think he was peeved that Nokomis asked Jareth about his work before she asked Lachlan about his. I wanted to kick him under the table, or something, but instead, I took the moment to watch Jareth's gloved fingers (um, yes, he was still wearing his blasted gloves! Aaargh!) toy with a chip as he eyed the salsa.

He curiously took the triangular chip and dipped the tiniest of corners in the salsa, cautiously bringing it to his lips, and holding it there, briefly. He seemed to be sniffing it. I tried not to laugh. After a moment, he cautiously bit off the dipped corner and chewed carefully. At first, he seemed pleased with it, but after a moment one of his eyes twitched and he placed the remainder of the chip on his napkin, and didn't touch it again. He still seemed, I don't know, fine? Okay… perhaps the salsa was too hot, I don't know. Whatever the reason, I distinctly got the impression that he didn't like chips as much as he liked cookies.

At last our food came. Jareth was highly impressed with his burro and began to cut into it – very properly – with his knife and fork.

After a bit more small talk, Nokomis looked across the table at me, "So, Wren, do you and Jareth really get a lot of people who say he looks like Bowie?"

Jareth coughed on his bite – however small it was. I smiled at her, "Well, not too often, but I do from time to time. My coworkers all think he does, that's for sure."

Jareth rolled his eyes, "I think they are all rather silly for thinking so," Nokomis raised an eyebrow, and he explained, "I do not quite see the resemblance."

Both Nokomis and I laughed. Jareth rolled his eyes again.

I gave him a mocking glare, "And I do not see how you cannot see it! I mean, I am one of the biggest Bowie fans there is, but even if I wasn't, I could still see it."

Nokomis shook her head, "I can beat you on being a Bowie fan. I can see the slight differences, yes, but, yeah, he's still really good."

Lachlan rolled his eyes, "I see it," he said, "But I don't think it's that big of a deal."

"Yes, exactly," Jareth said, slapping his gloved hand lightly on the table, "Thank you, Lachlan. Finally, someone who sees it as I do."

I didn't bother with either of their comments, but frowned at Nokomis, "What do you mean, you can beat me on the being a Bowie fan?" She didn't even know me. What gave her the authority to say she could beat me? How did she know I wasn't a member of his official fan club? What if I had Ziggy posters all over my room? She didn't know at all.

She smiled, "Oh, I didn't mean that to be rude or whatnot, I was just… well, I mean, I am a huge fan, that's all."

"And what makes you think I'm not?"

I saw a challenge in her eyes. She held up her hand, showing me a charm bracelet she was wearing. "Look," she said, just a bit on the smug side, "Check out the faces."

It was a pretty bracelet, for sure… but under close inspection, several of the charm pieces had faces on them – all David Bowie. I shrugged. "I have a watch with him on it."

"Can I see it?"

I blinked, "I don't have it with me…"

Jareth looked at me, "You have a time piece with him on it?"

Oops. I hadn't meant to tell him that… "I don't wear it much, only now and then," I said, sounding pathetic. Okay, I wasn't hiding it from him. I swear. I had it before I'd even met Jareth and I'd even worn in around him a few times, but… it was weird, to wear it around him, and then when I realized he had issues with Bowie, I nearly stopped altogether.

Lachlan sipped at his drink, "I can't believe either of you. Jewelry? Watches?"

"He's cool!" we both said, in unison. Then we both busted up laughing. Across the table from each other, Lachlan and Jareth both looked at each other and shook their heads.

* * *

Somehow, the night went along rather well, without any major incidents. Jareth pulled some major faces with his lemonade, and couldn't quite finish his burro (we boxed it for home) but Nokomis seemed to be nicely interested in Lachlan, and I thought they'd had a decent night. Nokomis, at least, seemed to enjoy herself.

Me? Well, it wasn't too bad. But, bad or not, I had some major issues to pick at with my brother. First off, however civil he was with Jareth, and eventually nice, he hadn't been as accepting as I would have liked, at first. Then the drink, then the interrogation at dinner… that wasn't much like the Lachlan I knew, and I was slightly hurt.

Lachlan walked Nokomis to her car when we'd finished, and then, after she'd left, found me waiting for him at his Honda. Jareth was leaning against my car, some ways off.

He came up and patted my shoulder, "Ah, Wren, tonight was great. I can't thank you enough!" then his smile faded and he noticed my unhappy expression, "What's wrong?"

I sighed, "Where do I start, Lachlan?"

"What do you mean?"

"You were a jerk to me, you know that?" he tried to protest, but I stopped him, "No, you don't speak. You were rude to Jareth, several times over, even to the point of interrogating him, and since when do you drink?" I put my hands on my non-existent hips and looked at him directly.

He sighed, "The Guinness… Wren…"

I held up a hand to stop him again, "Look, I don't care that you do, really. That's your choice – not a smart one, if you ask me, but it's yours all the same. I'm upset that you just chose to do so in front of me, when you know I'm not comfortable with it. And the way you treated Jareth… argh!" I clenched my fists in frustration. "It's like you were afraid to get cooties from him, when you shook his hand!"

He got defensive, "Okay, that? Gosh, Wren, you can't blame me! He looks like a flippin' male escort, for heaven's sake! I was concerned that he was-"

A _what_? Oh, no, he did not just say that about him. "First of all, I wouldn't date one, you know that. Secondly, if he was, that would be my choice, wouldn't it? I don't care what he is, escort, security guard, or friggin' King of the Goblins, I expect my brother, who I am doing a favor for, to be a heck of a lot nicer to the person I've chosen, got it? You may have had a nice night, dear brother, but I was rather miserable for a good portion of the evening, and that was thanks to you. No," I stalled his attempts to explain some more, "I've had enough of you for one night. Don't talk to me for a few days. Good night." And I stormed back to my car.

Without a word, Jareth gave me a quiet hug when I reached the car, instantly cooling my temper. I hugged him back, gratefully, and then unlocked his door before heading around to mine and getting in.

I smiled at him, once we were in the car, "So, how did you like Mexican food?"

He thought on it for a bit, "The food was acceptable," he said, lightly, "But I am afraid I am not fond of the sensations most of it caused."

Uh, what? I looked at him sideways, "What do you mean, sensations?"

"Frankly, that red colored substance – what did the server refer to it as? Oh, yes, _salsa_," he shuddered, "Caused a rather unpleasant burning sensation, and the burro-whatever it was somewhat similar."

I laughed, "Gosh, Jareth, I'm sorry! I forgot it was spicy! I'm used to it – I love salsa, you see. And… well, I grew up eating spicy stuff. But, thank you for coming with me," I reached a hand over and touched his glove, "I appreciate it, and your support."

The glove turned and captured my fingers, squeezing them gently, "My pleasure, Wren," he briefly brought my fingers to his mouth and kissed them, then let go and frowned, "What sensations did you think I was referring to? You seemed… concerned."

I went red and began to back out of the parking space, "Oh, that… well…" I gave a nervous laugh, "I thought you were talking about gas…"

"_WREN!_"

Hee.

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**A/N: Dude, did this take me long enough? I am so sorry this took so long… blame the plot bunnies. EVIL PLOT BUNNIES! Seriously, they are out to get me. Hope this wasn't too bad… next chapter should be less serious and more fun. I think.**

**And always, review. All your lovely feedback keeps me going, you know.**


	19. 100 Questions! Wren's Answers

**Disclaimer: Ah, now, I do wish I owned all this stuff, but unfortunately the only thing that is truly mine is Wren.**

**Also, I must confess, that this idea is not entirely mine, but I also did not steal it. I'll explain better in a bit…****

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**Sanoru: Wow, thanks! I'm so glad you like those long ones…**

**Anij: I'm glad I could waste your time so nicely, and I'm completely honored that you would willingly waste that time again. Thank you for the wonderfully thoughtful review!**

**Notwritten: Aw, thanks!**

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**Music, eh? Let's see…**

**_Strangers When we Meet_ by David Bowie – Ah, yes, if you all haven't figured it out, I am obsessed with this man and his music. Heh. I really like this song. **

**_One in a Million_ by Bosson – dude, talk about opposite song choices! But, I suppose I'm like that. I can go from Brak to Dido without a blink. Meh. **

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**Okay, so I'm seriously wondering when FFnet will fix their line thingy. It's really bugging me that I have to use zeros. Seriously. So anyway, on with the chapter.**

**Lets get to know our Wren a little better!**

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100 questions to getting to know your Friends!

Answer the following questions:

1. Name? Wren Neilson. How nice of my parents to give me a middle name, huh? Sheesh! As if Wren wasn't plain enough...

2. Nickname? Um… I don't have one, that I know of… Oh, wait! Jareth calls me 'dearling' sometimes. You know what? I'm making my own. Wrenny.

3. Gender? Girl.

4. Hair color? Um… light brown? Dark Blonde? I think it's more on the brown side, though. Kinda bland and boring, between actual colors… mousy brown? Urgh, it's very plain. I don't think it's anything special.

5. Eye color? Gray. Technically, they are 'blue' but… nah, I'm not that lucky. They're gray. Why couldn't I have, like, sea-green? Or violet? Or something cool? Bah. Stupid genetics.

6. Piercing? Only one in each ear. I always consider getting a stud or something exciting but… I never get one. I guess I'm a chicken.

7. Place of Birth? United States! Ahahaha! I don't know why I find that funny…

8. Current Residence? My parent's house. Yes… I know… you don't have to say it.

9. Favorite food? I love fruit. Strawberries, apples, bananas and (ha-ha) peaches. Just love them. I like other things too, so I can't just pick one thing… so fruit. And no, I did not say peaches to be cliché. I honestly like them! Not mushy ones, or pamnesia ones, but plain peaches are yummy.

10. Favorite Flower? Snap dragons. They're so cute! It's like they could start talking to you at any moment! As a kid, I would spend hours in my mom's garden, playing with them. Mom hated it – nearly killed me anytime she found me doing it. Something about petals going brown if handled too much… I suppose that's why they don't like me much in nurseries and garden centers, either. I pet the flowers.

11. Favorite Sport to watch? Tennis. I stink at it, but ever watch those girls hit hard? Oooh, they can get so mad! It makes me laugh! Too bad, I think my temper would have made me a great tennis player, or at least an interesting one.

12. Favorite drink? Would that be energy drink? Well, that's Tab energy. Regular drink? Just water, thanks. When I was a kid, I was like a fish or something… drank it all the time. That was pretty much all I drank until I got to Tab… hehehe… oh, and lemonade is good, too. Ever had kiwi lemonade? Oh, I'm telling you, very yummy.

13. Favorite Ice cream? Oooh, tough choice… Actually, I really love cherry with chocolate chips… oh man. So good. I can't think about it, I'll start drooling… Hmm, I should get some for Jareth, sometime… I think he'd like it.

14. Favorite fast food restaurant? The Sub Shoppe. I love subs. Fast, but healthy! What more could a girl ask for?

15. Favorite TV show? Boston Legal. I think I like to argue, and to watch others do it, too. I'm not a legal person, but I'm very argumentative – just look at Jareth and I. We argue all the time. It's great.

16. Favorite Movie? Dare I say… Labyrinth? No, I'm kidding! Oh, I do like that, but I love lots of movies. I think, though, if I have to pick one, it would be While You Were Sleeping. I mean, everything was fine until that paperboy fell! I swear! Ahaahaha!

17. Favorite Color? Jade. Not just green, though I do like green, but jade… ah. I love jade. Something about jade just seems magical and mysterious.

18. Least Favorite Color? Umm… plum? Poop-green? I really like color, so it's hard to say… gray, perhaps. Oh, I'm not very fond of yellow…

19. Favorite childhood toy? Rag doll, from my grandmother, named Molly. I mean the doll, not my grandmother.

20. Ever been to Africa? Ah, no. I'd love to see it, though.

21. Ever been toilet papering? Heh… yes… heh… shhh! Don't tell Gideon! He'd kill me if he ever found out I did that to his truck that one time when he was… oh, you know what? Never mind. No, I never have. I'll just stick to that.

22. Ever love someone so much it made you cry? Yes. That's all I'll say on that.

23. Which do you prefer, croutons or bacon bits? Croutons. Bacon bits are good and all, but it just isn't a salad without the croutons, know what I mean?

24. What does your bedroom look like? White walls, vine trim, large bookshelf, and double bed with pale green bedspread. Matching curtains. Computer desk very messy. Large purple bean bag chair, almost always occupied by a certain Goblin King. Nothing out of the ordinary, really.

25. What do you do when you are bored? I go bother Jareth, in the Underground. Maybe make a mud hole, try and color his hair pink, put a chicken on his chair - basically harass him anyway I can. Anything like that is a sure-fire way to cure boredom, I promise you.

26. Who is the last person you ate dinner with? Jareth, of course.

27. What are you listening to right now? Jareth, complaining from my bed that I'm always on the computer and not spending enough time with him. Sheesh, can you say needy? Now he's trying to complain that I lie, and he's not needy. Whatever, glitter-boy.

28. Do you smoke? No, I do not, thank you very much. I value my lungs. I have a hard enough time dealing with seasonal allergies and natural lung problems, I don't need to purposefully give myself more.

29. How many pets do you have? None, sadly. I'd love one, but I don't have any. Ah, well. But… no cats. They make me sneeze. And itch. And swell up. And all three of those, all together. I'm highly allergic to cat saliva, and since cats lick themselves all over, all I have to do is pet one and get dried, crystallized saliva on my hands, and poof, I could be a balloon in the Thanksgiving Day parade.

30. Where was your last vacation spot? Gee, where was it? Went to the beach last year, and it was lovely. Really, it's high time I took another vacation.

31. Do you prefer hot weather or cold weather? I like each, for different reasons, but I hate to sweat, unless at the beach. So… cold? Curling up by a warm fire is very appealing…

32. Wal-Mart or Target? Depends on what I'm going for. Target is nice for home furnishings and electronics… Target, I guess.

33. Who is, in your opinion, the hottest actor or actress? DAVID BOWIE! Oh, um… I mean, let me think about that… yes, David Bowie. Okay, Jareth is making me point out that if he were an actor, he would be the hottest, and would be much hotter than Bowie. I agree, but he could never be an actor. He's too fussy – no director would have him! Asl'ioyljhal;skdfksjvxkl; Ow! DON'T THROW PILLOWS AT ME, GLITTER-BOY!

34. Do you sleep with a favorite blanket or pillow? Pillow, yes. I just got it in the back of the head with it, in case you didn't notice.

35. Favorite swimming hole? Never been much of a swimmer, and I live in the city so I never had a favorite 'swimming hole'. I like the ocean, though. Kinda big for a 'swimming hole', wouldn't you say?

36. Slippers, socks, or do you go around barefoot around the house? Barefoot, if I can manage it. If I could go barefoot everywhere, I would… except for in the Underground, though. Too much chicken poop.

37. What is on your mouse pad? It's just plain purple. Most things in my room are either green or purple. Unless you count the wood things, which are pine and oak… and unless you count Jareth, who is very glittery. Not that he's a permanent fixture or anything… he just is there a lot.

38. What is the first thing you think when you wake up in the morning? Gah, five more minutes… just five, and then I _swear_ I'll get up…

39. Future Child's name? … um… I don't know… that would be something to decide with the father of that hypothetical child, if you ask me.

40. Do you like Thunderstorms? I adore them! So magical and powerful! Dark and threatening, but with something uplifting about them… I can't quite explain them. I've always been fascinated by storms.

41. If you could have any job, what would it be? Street painter in Paris. No, I'm kidding. Something with kids. I like children, a lot.

42. If you could have any hair color, what would it be? Blue. Bright, sapphire blue. But, as we all know, my parents would have me committed if I did. Maybe I could get away with cherry red… that might be fun… anything but the mud I have now is fine with me.

43. Is the glass half empty or half full? Half empty! Except on days when I'm feeling fat, and then it's just empty, no halves about it. Ah, I'm kidding… except for the fat days comment. Seriously, you can't convince me that there even a glass on those days…

44. What's under your bed? Good question. Shoes, papers, a couple of dust bunnies… it's quite the frightening mystery.

45. Your single, most intense pain? Does Orla count? She caused it. See question number 22. No, wait… I take that back… the time Jareth and I fought, and I thought we were through. Oh, that hurt like nothing else.

46. When was the last time you visited a Hospital? When Lachlan had his appendix taken out, a year and a half ago – I had to smuggle him in some ice cream and cookies while he recovered. See? I am not a goody-two-shoes, I break the rules, sometimes! Those cookies had nuts in them, and the nurses totally said no nuts.

47. Ketchup or Mustard? Honey mustard, thank you very much. I used to love ketchup, but now… I'm not a fan. At all. I have no idea why.

48. Hamburger or hotdog? Hamburger, but only if grilled. I am not fond of hotdogs at all… well, okay, so the turkey ones aren't bad…

49. What is your favorite season? Winter. I wish it snowed here… I've never had a white Christmas.

50. What screen saver is on your computer, right now? David Bowie in a bright yellow kitchen, wearing an apron, and looking mortified.

51. Which high school stereotype are you? Jock, slut, outcast, geek, blonde, goth, goody-two-shoes, etc. Outcast, geek, and goody-two-shoes, all rolled into one. I haven't changed all that much since, I'm afraid.

52. What is your favorite magazine? Don't like magazines… I flip through fashion catalogues, though.

53. Favorite flavor of gum? Peppermint, please. And… only sugar free. For whatever reason, the sugar drives me bonkers in regular gum… and it makes me violently hyper. Don't know why.

54. Favorite place to be? Oh dear… um… don't laugh… Underground. I… I really like it there.

55. Do you have an Innie or Outie? Innie. DON'T LAUGH!

56. Boxers or briefs? What kind of question is this? MYOB!

57. Do you snore? Probably.

58. Do you sleep walk? Not that I'm aware of…

59. Do you sleep talk? Only when I'm really upset over something, or my dream is extremely intense.

60. Do you sleep on your stomach, back, or side? Back, sometimes my sides.

61. Would you ever pierce your tongue? Probably not. I would like to say that I would, but… wouldn't that be inconvenient? It would so make me lisp, I know it.

62. Do you have, or have you ever had, braces? Did when I was younger, for a year.

63. If you could have any special power, what would it be? I'd fly!

64. Do you like people to play with your hair? Oh, I love it – but not when they take my pigtails and stick them in my ears. That's not too fun.

65. Do you wear a watch? From time to time… not so much now that I'm dating Jareth, because it has David Bowie on it, and he doesn't like Bowie that much.

66. Do you like Pineapple? I do. Love it. Of course, if I eat too much, I regret it. All that fiber, you know.

67. What do you sleep in? Pajamas!

68. Do you wear contacts or glasses? Neither. I'm lucky, I guess.

69. Do you have a six-pack stomach? HA! AHAHAHAHAA! Very funny.

70. What do you notice first about the opposite sex? Eyes and voice… and hair… and height… but, that stuff become superfluous when I learn how they treat me. So, it may not be the first thing I notice, but their attitude really is the most important thing I notice.

71. What do you think the opposite sex notices first about you? How fat I am, most likely. Wish they didn't, but so many do. And my height. I'm so stinkin' short. I hate it.

72. What are you wearing right now? Tan shirt, jeans, flip-flops.

73. Do you talk to yourself? More than I care to admit. Right? Right. Oh, I agree with you… me. Oh, you're so awesome. Talk later? Okay, sounds good. Bye.

74. Do you believe in love at first sight? Yes, yes I do.

75. Do you like to party? Yes I do… within reason.

76. Are you double jointed? Again, really funny.

77. Have you been to Disney Land? Yes, when I was little.

78. Are you a morning or night person? Night. I'm a night owl.

79. Do you remember your dreams every night? No, but I wish I did. I try to write them down, when I can, or when they're worth it.

80. Do you swear? Only when absolutely furious. Seriously, I have to be insane with anger, and then I become a drunker sailor. It's frightening. Luckily, those moments are extremely few and far between.

81. Is your bedroom clean? Mostly. Not often. I don't want to think about it. Don't ask me. You don't want to know.

82. Is your first or second toe longer? First.

83. Have you ever bungee jumped? Heehee, no. Don't plan on it either.

84. Pink or Purple? Um… purple.

85. Have you ever skinny-dipped? Goodness, NO! And I haven't chunky-dunked either!

86. What's the dumbest thing you've ever done? Wished myself away to the Underground on a whim… but, I don't regret that, though. It all turned out for the best – and now, I've never been happier. Heh.

87. Do you keep secrets? Yes, but I try not to. I like to be an open and honest person… and I have the roughest time lying.

88. Do you have any crushes now? Only one – and I'm dating him.

89. Have you ever been in Love? … um… yes. I think so.

90. How many people have you kissed? Oh, this is embarrassing. Just one, and I'm dating him.

91. Have you ever gotten drunk? No, thank goodness.

92. Who are your best friends? Allie, Ellen, Persephone, Lachlan (when he's not being a moody jerk), and Jareth.

93. What's something you would change in your life? I don't know… a lot has changed, recently, to make me want to say I wouldn't change anything. But… well, being taller would be nice. Oh, and perhaps getting a place of my own would be nice, too…

94. What's something you would not change in your life? Who I am, and (DON'T LAUGH) my boyfriend. I like him very much.

95. What is the best feeling in the world? Being held in someone's arms and squeezed tightly, but not too tightly.

96. What is the worst feeling in the world? Feeling like you've lost that someone forever.

97. If you could be anyone, for one day, who would you be? Gee, I don't know! No one specific, because I'd just like to be me, but I think it would be fun to be a famous celebrity for a day! Not forever, just for a little bit, feel what it's like.

98. What is something you always wear, and never take off? My hair. Ahahahaha! Kidding! No, I always wear the crystal ring Jareth gave me. It's always on my middle finger, on my left hand, because he gave it to me. It's also my anytime access to the Underground.

99. Five words that describe you are: average, funny, spunky, argumentative… and… plain.

100. Five words that describe someone you care about are: Tall, handsome, fussy, magical, and wonderful.

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**A/N: In my defense, this isn't technically a list, but something Wren was writing. It is apart of the story, right? Well, I hope you liked this in-depth view of my main character! Please read and review!**

**Oh, and I might just add... there will be another 100 questions for someone else, too... hee...**

**Much love, Marti**


	20. 100 Questions! Jareth's Answers

**Disclaimer: If only Jareth was mine – I think the world would be so much nicer. But, he's not. Wren is, though… and so are her siblings and whatnot. Do not take them, unless I say you can. And you can't. **

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****Anij: Really? You think Wren's hyper? Hee! You're right, she'd better stay away from the sugar gum. Isn't Tab wonderful? I love it. **

**Notwritten: Don't worry, he's next on the list here!**

**Contraltissimo: Ah, yes, Lachlan… I've got a couple of plot bunnies with his name on them, stashed away somewhere… but Wren's not speaking with him, so I've got some time. XD**

**Ghostofthewaterflame: Aww, thanks! But… um… Sarah? Where? Sorry, but… it's Wren. Not a JS and not a self insert (contraltissimo can vouch for that one). Trust me, if it were a JS, I would say so, I wouldn't change nearly everything about Sarah and call her Wren. But, either way, thanks for the review!**

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****Music recommendations – I know that these may not be all the important to you all, kinda silly as they are… but I just wanted to say that I love putting these in. These are songs I listened to while writing these chapters, and so they influenced my work – and I love to share them with you all. **

**_The Heart's Filthy Lesson _by David Bowie – I make an effort to recommend at least one of his. This one has totally been on my mind lately. **

**_Here with Me_ by Dido – this song seriously defined much of my high school existence (meaning I listened to it ALL the time, then), and I just pulled the CD out again… sigh…**

**_Who I Am_ by Jessica Andrews – this is probably the best song for this chapter. Hee.**

**So now, without further ado, the much requested answers to Jareth's quiz!**

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100 questions to getting to know your friends!

Answer the following questions:

1. Name? His Royal Highness, Goblin King of the Underground, Jareth the magnificent.

2. Nickname? It is not proper for a king to have a _nickname_… quite silly, really. But, all the same, I am being forced to do this honestly, and so… GK. Wren has dubbed me GK. I do not approve of that name, I do say.

3. Gender? Excuse me? How can anyone question that? I am male.

4.Hair color? Pale gold, or whatever color I choose.

5. Eye color? I have rich, blue eyes. One is dilated, though, and frequently appears to be of a golden hue.

6. Piercing? Why, yes they are, if I do say so myself. Many have withered beneath my gaze.

7. Place of Birth? The Underground.

8. Current Residence? The Castle beyond the Goblin City, the Underground.

9. Favorite food? Steamed Vocklari covered in eel sauce. Very rare, Vocklari, but I promise it is the best fish you could ever taste. Absolutely delicious.

10. Favorite Flower? Ah, yes. A deep garnet hued imperial rose, if I had to choose. Though, lately, I have found a certain affinity for sterling roses – those are quite lovely as well.

11. Favorite Sport to watch? There is a distinct lack of gladiators in both the Underground and Aboveground, and therefore I rarely watch _sports_. Those silly contests and competitions they call 'sports' today are pitiful. Everyone lives! Where is the sport in that?

12. Favorite drink? Aged 1632 cabernet from the mountains of Pyre. Unfortunately, these bottles are beyond rare, and I have not been able to procure one for nearly eighty years. I hear on good authority that there are still some to be found, but I have yet to locate them.

13. Favorite Icecream? Iced cream sounds rather plain, unless there is something uniquely done to it in the Aboveground that I am not familiar with. Wait… Wren mentioned something about this, I remember now. I have yet to try this. Perhaps with some coercion, I could convince her to purchase some for us.

14. Favorite fast food restaurant? Fast food… that _cannot_ be healthy. I prefer to enjoy my meals slowly, while spending time conversing with those of interest, such as Wren.

15. Favorite TV show? TV? What… oh, _television_. That is something quite foreign to the Underground, and though Wren has one, she rarely watches it, and never when I am with her. Hmm. I should ask her more about it…

16. Favorite Movie? Erm… I saw one I rather enjoyed in 1934 I believe, entitled 'It Happened One Night'. I am afraid, besides that, I am not very familiar with films…

17. Favorite Color? Must I pick only one? There are too many to choose from. Well… if I must pick one… Royal blue, I suppose. Honestly, though, any color has the potential to be lovely depending on the occasion and with the appropriate accessories.

18. Least Favorite Color? _Fluorescent_ yellow. This is a color I have only recently become familiar with, and I must say it is quite painful to look at for very long. No eyes should be subjected to something so wretched.

19. Favorite childhood toy? Must I pick only one? I had many I adored. One, if I must pick one, was my ball. Simplistic, I know, yet it was glorious to throw it at passing goblins and servants, I remember.

20. Ever been to Africa? Yes, on several occasions, mostly at night. It would be nice to visit in the daylight hours, and for leisure rather than business.

21. Ever been toilet papering? Toilet papering? Why would I want to paper a toilet? What a ridiculous waste of time!

22. Ever love someone so much it made you cry? Yes.

23. Which do you prefer, croutons or bacon bits? I believe there are items of Aboveground cuisine that Wren has not introduced me to…

24. What does your bedroom look like? Rugged and masculine, marble floors and stone walls. One end of the room has a sunken alcove in the floor which faces a blazing hearth. To the right of the hearth is the entrance way into a lavish lavatory room, with many modern conveniences, such as running water. A king sized bed with a canopy to resemble the night sky rests on the opposite side of the room, beside double doors that open to a balcony which overlooks most of the city and countryside below. A room of rest, fit for a king.

25. What do you do when you are bored? Interesting question. It is not always what I do when bored, but rather what I do when I have nothing to do – as a monarch I most always have some pressing need or matter that demands my attention, bored or not. When there is nothing, I either spend my time with Wren, or find a goblin to kick. The former is much preferable than the latter, to both myself and the goblin who gets in my way.

26. Who is the last person you ate dinner with? I had a formal dinner with rulers of neighboring kingdoms in the underground – it is always prudent to remain on good and pleasant terms with one's neighbors. But… the last one I _enjoyed_ a dinner with was Wren.

27. What are you listening to right now? Wren – she has some odd musical contraption on her head that connects by wire to a small, round object… what is that, again? Empeethree? It plays music, that much I know. She is singing softly right now – and does not realize it, as is often the case when she listens to her empty-flee thing, whatever it is called. It is rather nice, her soft voice…

28. Do you smoke? Only when on fire.

29. How many pets do you have? Pets? Is that honestly a question I am supposed to answer? Absurd. I run a _kingdom_ of _goblins_ – I do not need any more needy, smelly creatures running about.

30. Where was your last vacation spot? Vacation? Would that be similar to a holiday? I rarely take them, officially, but I find time to myself often, or spend time with Wren, which is always interesting. After spending so many solitary years, any time with Wren is a holiday.

31. Do you prefer hot weather or cold weather? Hot, if you must know. I prefer to take things off to cool down rather than wear heavier clothes, even though I do have several smashing cloaks that are brilliant for colder weather.

32. Wal-Mart or Target? What are those? Who is a target? A mart on the wall? This is ludicrous.

33. Who is, in your opinion, the hottest actor or actress? Erm… well, I frankly do not know many… I shall not answer this question. Considering Wren's temper, I had better not say the answer I have.

34. Do you sleep with a favorite blanket or pillow? Several satin pillows, thank you very much.

35. Favorite swimming hole? Lunari Lake is always lovely, any time of the year.

36. Slippers, socks, or do you go around barefoot around the house? Around my castle I wear boots, as I also do around Wren's house. I am only _barefooted_ in my chambers, and only don slippers in my chambers, in colder temperatures.

37. What is on your mouse pad? My _what_?

38. What is the first thing you think when you wake up in the morning? What have the goblins done _now_?

39. Future Child's name? Jareth the second, for a male – unless something else were to strike my fancy, however unlikely that may be. For a female… that would depend on whom I am having the child with.

40. Do you like Thunderstorms? Yes, I do. They are strong, powerful, flashy, and are a force to be respected. I learned long ago to respect their power.

41. If you could have any job, what would it be? I would be the King of the Goblins – oh, wait, I already am. Wren, though, who has chosen this moment to remove her empeethree from her head, is mentioning something about being an escort and… ah, now she is laughing like a lunatic. I refuse to inquire more on the subject, and will state that I would not have any other occupation than I already have.

42. If you could have any hair color, what would it be? I _already_ can have any hair color I wish. Personally, I chose to have my hair to be the color it is now, a pale gold, as it was from the moment of my birth, but I am more than capable of changing it, should I choose to do so.

43. Is the glass half empty or half full? Is there a difference between those? Oh, yes, I see. Well… is that not life? Both? There are always high and low moments. Life is what you make of it, is it not? Asking about a glass is just moronic.

44. What's under your bed? Nothing. Occasionally, a goblin or pixie. I keep my quarters immaculate, and that includes the area beneath my bed.

45. Your single, most intense pain? I would rather not say…

46. When was the last time you visited a Hospital? Some time back, actually, on business. It was not a pleasant experience.

47. Ketchup or Mustard? Either. I find both to be of interesting taste.

48. Hamburger or hotdog? Erm… I have not had the pleasure of ingesting a 'hot dog', so I will select hamburger. Hotdog… that does not sound very appealing.

49. What is your favorite season? I adore the warmth of summer, if you must know. I find it much preferable to remove articles of clothing than I do in adding more on, unless the occasion requires it.

50. What screen saver is on your computer, right now? I am not even going to attempt to answer this one…

51. Which high school stereotype are you? Jock, slut, outcast, geek, blonde, goth, goody-two-shoes, etc. I need to ask Wren about these… she says I would be the blonde jock. I will trust her expertise in this matter.

52. What is your favorite magazine? People. It is highly entertaining.

53. Favorite flavor of gum? No gum – it is not proper for a King to chew _gum_. Nasty stuff, it sticks everywhere, and can adhere to hair far too easily.

54. Favorite place to be? Any place that is quiet and relaxing.

55. Do you have an Innie or Outie? _Excuse_ me?

56. Boxers or briefs? Neither! What kind of question is that?

57. Do you snore? Kings do not snore.

58. Do you sleep walk? Kings do _not_ sleep walk!

59. Do you sleep talk? Kings do NOT talk in their sleep!

60. Do you sleep on your stomach, back, or side? I slumber on my back.

61. Would you ever pierce your tongue? Of all the wretched, horrid, disgusting ideas… why any person in their right mind, mortal or Fae, would chose to do that is absolutely beyond me…

62. Do you have, or have you ever had, braces? What? On my teeth? Whatever for?

63. If you could have any special power, what would it be? Ridiculous question. I have plenty of powers, and I do not need 'special' ones.

64. Do you like people to play with your hair? It would depend on who is doing the playing. Wren is more than welcome to attempt it – a goblin would die trying.

65. Do you wear a watch? A timepiece? No need. I can always reorder time, should I need to.

66. Do you like Pineapple? Oh, I remember that fruit. No, I am not overly fond of it.

67. What do you sleep in? A bed, of course.

68. Do you wear contacts or glasses? Neither, I have excellent vision.

69. Do you have a six-pack stomach? A highly defined one, if I do say so, myself.

70. What do you notice first about the opposite sex? Their expectations, naturally.

71. What do you think the opposite sex notices first about you? My title, my presence, the strength I radiate when I enter the room.

72. What are you wearing right now? Breeches, loose shirt, vest, medallion, and boots.

73. Do you talk to yourself? Kings do not talk to themselves… unless highly agitated.

74. Do you believe in love at first sight? Not always. Love is an enigma to me, I confess. I have yet to fully understand it, though I attempt to learn of it every opportunity I can. Love, instantly? Magic aside, I am not sure that is possible, but I suppose _anything_ is possible. Never take things for granted, I say.

75. Do you like to party? Party… party? I… Yes, I do like to have special occasions. I admit I have been known to hold some highly thrilling galas, events of the year.

76. Are you double jointed? Of course.

77. Have you been to Disney Land? That is a Kingdom I am not familiar with…

78. Are you a morning or night person? Personally, I thoroughly enjoy mornings, but my work often requires me to be a 'night person'. As a result, I am, you might say, both. There is a good reason why Goblin Kings have the ability to rearrange time – without it, they would never rest, I assure you.

79. Do you remember your dreams every night? Oh, this is a pathetic question. Of _course_ I do! And if I do not, I can always recall them with magic, at a later time. I am the Goblin King! I deal in dreams! This is so absurd… why did I agree to answer these?

80. Do you swear? Fluently, and in several different languages.

81. Is your bedroom clean? As previously stated, I keep it immaculate. My chambers are the lone place where goblins do not romp and wreak havoc. Subsequently, I keep it clean in contrast to the standard messes they make. Without that, I doubt I would keep my sanity.

82. Is your first or second toe longer? What a rude question to ask!

83. Have you ever bungee jumped? The correct question is, why would I care to? There are safer ways to risk my life.

84. Pink or Purple? Why not both?

85. Have you ever skinny dipped? Naturally, yes.

86. What's the dumbest thing you've ever done? I offered a young girl my heart without knowing hers, first. Apparently, I do not learn lessons of the heart well, for I have now done this twice. That lesson will doubtfully ever be fully learned, for the second time I did this, said girl returned my affections, and I have been rather content ever since. It may have been 'dumb' but it was worth it.

87. Do you keep secrets? That is no one's business but my own.

88. Do you have any crushes now? To what purpose? Do I have secret attractions to other females? Such is natural for any male, mortal or Fae. Do I seriously entertain such fantasies and attractions? I do not consider it. I adore _Wren_, therefore why do I need to waste time thinking of others when I have every chance to think of her?

89. Have you ever been in Love? I once thought so, but no, I do not believe I have previously been in love with another.

90. Have you ever cried for someone you love? Yes, of course. I am _Fae_, not heartless.

91. Have you ever gotten drunk? I change my mind regarding my answer to number eighty-six. Drowning sorrows and concerns in the bottom of a bottle is by far the most unintelligent thing I have ever done. I have long since decided that such actions were not worth the consequences they wrought.

92. Who are your best friends? Wren, first and foremost, followed by, in no particular order, Allie, Myanya, Dyer, and Tillan. I have, unfortunately, not seen the latter three in some time.

93. What's something you would change in your life? I believe I would have preferred keeping closer contact with Myanya, Dyer and Tillan. Besides that, I would not change anything. Though, perhaps, were such a change possible, I would remove Wren's aversion to ruffles… AKL;S;ASD/';jklklza WREN! Dropping a bound book in your pillow and then lobbing it at me was NOT NECESSARY!

94. What's something you would not change in your life? My instinctive sense of fashion. I have always been fashionable, and will remain so, if I may say anything about it.

95. What is the best feeling in the world? Spending quiet moments with someone dear to you. These moments have been too few in my life, and, having an increasing opportunity for such moments, I do what I can to savor them as much as I can.

96. What is the worst feeling in the world? Being bitten by a cockatrice on your backside after falling through briars to land on its den.

97. If you could be anyone, for one day, who would you be? I would not choose to be anyone but myself, but I think it would be rather intriguing to try living as Wren does, for one day.

98. What is something you always wear, and never take off? My medallion.

99. Five words that describe you are: regal, sophisticated, stylish, generous, unique.

100. Five words that describe someone you care about are: Feisty, belligerent, captivating, compassionate, lovely.

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**A/N: Wow, those were tough! I hope you all enjoyed Jareth's anwers - I did have fun writing them, tough though they were. **

**Hmm, I'm not sure where all the next chapters are going... though I do sense a few plot bunnies that are getting impatient... so, we'll see.**

**Oh, wait... Wren does have a vacation coming up - that should prove interesting! **

**So, as always, read and review! **

**Much love, Marti**


	21. Part 1 of Wren's Vacation Underground

**Disclaimer: You all know the drill, I don't own Jareth or the Labyrinth or anything to do with it, but Wren is my own creation and I am swearing that if you take her, you give me permission to hunt you down. And I would, too. I'm highly possessive.**

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**Sammi C.: Ahahaha! I didn't even think of that! I might just use that, somewhere… who knows? Yay! Hugs!**

**Yami Moon: What? Why? Don't feel unloved! We all love you! Especially the GK! Isn't he sweet?**

**Anij: Hee! Sweet! I couldn't resist for 41. Ahahaha! My personal favorite answer was 28. Thanks to Contraltissimo for that one. It just seemed to imply that, well, he'd been on fire before. Ha!**

**Ghostofthewaterflame: Ah, that's okay – I understand. I'm glad you like it! **

**Notwritten: Ah, thank you! **

**Contraltissimo: DUDE! Hee! Duncan keeps flying around in my head! How can I update, with a gargoyle guardian in my head? I DON'T GET IT!**

**Baby.turtle.cute: Aw, thanks! Don't worry, I'm trying to update sooner! Blame Newton… he bites me too often. I've got to put him on a diet or something…**

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**Music recommendations:**

**_Black Tie, White Noise_ by David Bowie – I just… like this one. It's very good. **

**_Stagger Lee_ by Lloyd Price – took me ages to get my hands on this, mostly because I couldn't remember what it was called. Slightly morbid, still a way fun song. **

**_See Me Through_ by Rascal Flats – not much of an RF person, but I've been listening to this a lot… heh…**

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**Okay, now, today I realized that I've been ignoring a HUGE plot-bunny… and because I've been putting him off, he's gotten even bigger. I'm naming him Newton. So, time to deal with him. Oh, this is huge. Be warned, this and the following chapters are going to be laden with extreme plot and (hopefully) some funny stuff 'n' fluff, too, but… plot galore. Can't be helped. Newton will eat me if I ignore him any longer. **

**So, on we go with part one of Wren's vacation! (slow starter, I apologize)**

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Wren's Vacation, part one:

"What? Lisa!" I whined. Yes, I knew I was whining. But, I mean, c'mon, no one would blame me for it.

Lisa obviously didn't blame me. She seemed just as upset as me. "I know, Wren, I know, it stinks."

Bill slammed the table, hard, "Isn't there something we can do? Talk to someone about this? It's not right!"

Lisa shrugged to us, "Company changes, and there's not much I can do. New rule is that vacation time does not roll over if you don't use it. It does, however, go to sick time, but unfortunately sick time can't be used in bulk, like vacation time, so technically if you don't use that, you lose it as vacation," she sighed, "And things will be rolling over in about a month. Technically, because this is short notice, my higher-ups are letting us use a little of the time after it rolls over, just because some of us have quite a bit stored up and they don't want us all gone at once – though it would serve them right if we were, if you ask me."

I frowned. "This is crappy."

Lisa gave me a sympathetic look, "I know it is, but we should just be grateful that it's still our time, even if sick days. So… I don't know. I guess you all get to pick when you get to take your time, if you chose to do so, over the month and a half. After that, we get a standard of either two or three weeks a year, depending on how long you've worked here."

There was a collective shrug among my teammates.

Well, later on that evening, I sat in my room, after deciding that I might as well take my remaining week of vacation the upcoming week, and trying to think of what to do with my time.

I didn't have very many options, really. Since this was sudden, I could try to get a vacation package put together, but it was likely that I would have to pay more than I could afford for it. So, no big traveling. But… then what? Usually, I discussed this sort of thing with either Lachlan or Persephone, but Persephone was at some kind of business conference in Toronto, and I still wasn't quite talking to Lachlan after his behavior on that stupid double date he'd roped me into.

What the heck do I do with a week off? I had five days, a whole workweek, off. I did have a few more days, but I decided to go ahead and let them roll into sick time, in case I needed them later.

I asked my parents, and they didn't know what I should do, either. Dad had a great idea, of just going to a local spa or something… which wasn't too shabby of an idea, except that I didn't think I could afford it anymore than I could any other vacation package. I didn't tell him that, though. Mom said I should get out of town, even if it was just upstate, but she didn't want me to go alone, and wanted me to ask Orla to come with me. I thanked her for the idea, but said I wasn't interested in going upstate. I didn't confess that I didn't want to upstate with my sister in the same vehicle, where she could hassle me about my boyfriend.

So, I was stuck. What to do, what to do…

"Did your pet fish die, Wren?"

I looked up, not very surprised to see Jareth lounging in my beanbag chair. Again. I swear, he probably had his name stitched on it somewhere, by now…

I frowned, "I don't have a pet fish."

He crossed his legs absently, "I assumed something had died, by the look on your face."

I snorted, "And, so, you assumed that the something was a pet I've never mentioned and you've never seen?"

He waved a hand at me, "It was merely a guess. Who died then?"

"My vacation time rollover."

"I beg your pardon?" He looked adorable when confused.

I snorted as I flopped onto my back on my bed, looking at the ceiling. "No one died, Jareth. We got notified today that, unlike the previous years, our allotted paid vacation time won't rollover. Instead, it will go to sick time, which is okay, I suppose, but you can't just use a week of sick time. Long story short, I've got next week off, five whole days, and I'm at a loss as to what to do with them."

The mattress dipped a little and the top of my head bumped his leg as he sat by me on the bed. "What would you _like_ to do with that time?"

I shrugged, "I don't know. It's all so sudden. I can't afford to go anywhere, and I hate to just sit around the house. I've asked everyone and don't know…"

He made a kind of regal snorting noise. "I am offended, Wren. You have not asked _me_."

I blinked. Dude, he was right. I looked up at him, "Gosh, I'm sorry! You're right, I didn't. I'll ask you now, then. What do _you_ think I should do?"

He pursed his lips, thoughtfully, "You like travel, and exotic places, do you not?"

"Oh, that I do, GK. What do you have in mind?"

A very sly grin spread across his face, "What of the Underground?"

I shot up and faced him, a sudden thrill shooting through my veins, "What?"

He shrugged, "You state that you do not have the monetary means to travel, but do not wish to stay – why not spend some time in my realm? Come with me-" was that a slight plea in his face? "-to my castle, for a week, as my guest. You can say in your own suite, visit the Labyrinth and places that you have never seen before, and it would not place any financial burden on you. There are," his gloved hand reached out and captured mine, squeezing it, gently, "There are so many places I would love to show you, Wren… I would be honored to take you anywhere you liked."

I swallowed. What an offer. Expedia couldn't top that, for sure. "What… what about my family? What do I tell them?"

He rolled his eyes, "Tell them you did find a trip; tell them whatever you like. Pack your things, more for show than anything else, as any guest of mine is rarely for want of anything they need, have your mother or father take you to…" he faltered, "To a bus station or train station or whatever, wave farewell, and from there you can count your crystals and join me here."

I looked around my room, my eyes huge with ideas and wonder. I could spend a week in a magical realm with my boyfriend. And… I could pass off the ruse to get there, easily enough. It was doable.

Jareth was eyeing me carefully. I caught his gaze and studied him. There was something in his face, I couldn't tell what it was, exactly, but I could tell how he felt. I'd been to his castle, yes, but not much to his kingdom. Ever since we'd started dating, he'd mostly spent time with me, Aboveground, doing things in my world. My world, my work, my family, my life… but I had the distinct impression that perhaps he was longing to have a turn, to show me _his_ world. His life, his work, his whatever – it didn't matter. I smiled at him.

"You would want me around for that long? Five workdays, plus two weekends? That works to about ten days. You'd like to have me around for ten days, with you, in your world and possibly in your way?" I grinned.

He raised my hand to his lips and kissed it. "Wren," he said, "I would be honored."

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"You're doing _WHAT_?"

I flung around, dropping one of my shirts as I spun, to face my brother, who had just barged into my room.

I pointed a finger at him, "Get out of my room, Lachlan. I'm packing."

He didn't hear me. Instead, he gave me that brotherly 'look'. "Mother tells me you're going to a spa for a week, upstate, and by bus?"

I shrugged, "I don't want to drive. Too dangerous to drive alone, you know, and my car could probably use new tires – that I can't afford at the moment – before I take it out of town…"

Lachlan shut my door and leaned on it, "Wren, you can't lie to me. Tell me the truth."

I reclaimed my shirt from the floor and shook it off, while giving him my own look, "Well, I'm not going to be _drinking_, I can tell you that."

He groaned, "This again…"

I threw my shirt in my duffel bag, "Yes, _this_, Lachlan! How dare you, after what happened, come in my room and act like you have any right to tell _me_ what _I_ do for my week off? I won't go telling mom and dad that their baby boy drinks beer, but I will tell you that I'm furious at you for being so stupid!"

"It was just a beer, Wren," he hissed at me, looking furtively at the door, "And I was nervous. It was to calm my nerves!"

"And what about my nerves?" I hissed back, getting right back in his face, "I was introducing my boyfriend to a member of my family, I was scared stiff, and you know full well that alcohol makes me nervous! Urgh," I turned my back to him, "Whatever, it's your choice to do what you like. I'm going to the spa upstate, to relax, and I don't want to think about this anymore."

Lachlan snorted, "Spa? Yeah right. What does Jared think of that?"

"It's Jareth, not Jared," I corrected with a smile, "And I don't need his permission to go away for a week. I told him my plans, he knows, and he's fine with it."

Lachlan was silent for a minute.

"He's going with you, isn't he?" he said at last.

I gasped and whirled around, "_Excuse me_!"

Dang him, Lachlan could read me like a book. He smirked, somewhat bitterly, "He is, I can tell. You're spending the week with him."

Okay, not good. Lachlan was right, but wrong in his assumptions on what I'd be doing. Jareth and I had a complete understanding, and I had faith in that, but Lachlan wouldn't understand. I could tell by the concerned look on his face that I was, well, a heck of a lot closer to Jareth than I actually was.

I put a hand on my hip, "Lachlan, don't start. Don't even give me that look – I'm gonna see the sights, relax, and enjoy myself, not have an intimate week with a man. I'm _not_ like that, you know better of me. So, yeah, I'm not, I swear… and, even if I was, that would be my choice as much as drinking beer is yours."

He frowned at me, "You know, I'm a little tired of the assumption from you that I'm constantly drinking beer. I think I've had a grand total of maybe ten beers in my _life_, never more than one in a single night, and never without good reason. I swear to you, Wren, I've never gotten myself _drunk_, so just… stop."

I raised an eyebrow at him, "I'll stop making assumptions about you boozing when you stop drinking the booze."

Lachlan raised his eyebrows, "What about Jareth? You can't tell me he doesn't drink. I totally see him as a wine connoisseur."

I swallowed. "He does drink wine, I'm sure, but that's different. He never drinks around me, because he knows it bothers me." I couldn't rightly say that, as a _King_, wine was expected of him…

"Oh, it's _different_, is it?"

I glared, "Yes, it is! You wouldn't understand!"

"Really? Because I'm your brother? And I wouldn't understand it, oh, because he's your lover?"

I heard the smack before I realized I'd swung. My palm stung viciously, and Lachlan reeled backward. I'd slapped him, hard. Lachlan regained his balance and turned to me, his mouth open wide.

"I care for Jareth very much, but I abandon my morals for no man. He and I have discussed this and he feels as I do on the matter, and so I remain as virtuous as I always have," I said, my voice eerily calm, "And if you ever speak to me so disrespectfully again, it won't be my palm that connects with your face, it will be my fist."

In my head, I was as shocked as Lachlan was. Never, ever, had I raised a hand to my brother… or stood up for myself in such a way. I was standing squarely and straight, feeling rather tall as I did so, and wondering what other kinds of effects Jareth had had on me… I was acting like him! Yikes…

My brother met my gaze, rubbing my face, and… just as he knew I'd been lying to him earlier, he could tell I wasn't now. He blinked and shook his head to clear it. "I'm sorry, Wren," he said, sheepishly, "You're right, I know you better than that…"

My shoulders relaxed, and I rubbed my hand, "Then you would also know how hurt I am,"

He raised his eyebrows, "Hurt?"

"Yes, brother," I said pointedly, "You told me you would support me and Jareth. You said, back when you helped me on the grill, that any man who cared about me as I do about him couldn't be all that bad… and then, on the date, you were rude to him, and to me. And then _this_? You come barging in here, saying what you did, thinking the worst of not only me, but the man I care for. It hurts, Lachlan. I feel like I don't know you anymore."

Still rubbing his cheek, he looked about my room, absently, thinking on what I had said. He sighed once, before turning to me, openly. "You're right. I broke my promise to you… I do trust you, Wren. I know you're a strong person, and I should accept your choice in Jareth. I was wrong to be so distrustful of him."

"Dang straight." I folded my arms across my chest.

My brother looked at me, "I'm sorry Wren."

"You should be," I said, stubbornly. I was angry… but quickly cooling. "I accept your apology."

We stood there for a long moment, just looking at each other. Finally, he broke the silence.

"I was right, though, wasn't I? You are going to be spending the week with him, aren't you?"

I sighed and turned back to my bag, "I have you on trust-probation, Lachlan. As such, you are not privilege to that information. I'll say it's probable that I could be, but I'm not about to confirm anything. Not yet."

Things were silent again as I packed. Finally, I heard him turn my doorknob and open the door. "Have a nice week, Wren," he said softly, "And, by the way, Nokomis says hello. Actually," he laughed a little, "She said to tell you, 'hallo space boy'. She said you'd understand that."

I smiled, "A David Bowie song," I said with a laugh.

I heard him laugh, but he didn't say anything as he closed the door and left.

* * *

"Honey, we can stay until you leave," my mother said, firmly, as my father hefted my suitcase from the trunk.

I shook my head, "It's just a bus station, Mom. I'll be fine. And I have my cell, so I can always call you, if I need it. I'm fine!"

My father shook his head, "You're mother and I don't want to leave you alone. It's not safe for a young lady to be a lone…"

I shook my head, "But, I'm not alone, I swear! There are plenty of people up there… Gosh, look, I asked you to drop me off so I wouldn't have to leave my car here, but I didn't ask you to coddle me, okay? I'm a big girl!"

My mother smothered me in a tight hug, "Oh, I know!" she cried, almost teary, "But you're still my baby!"

I growled, "Cut the umbilical cord, Mah!"

My father snickered. He reached out and pried Mom's hands from me, "Okay, we get the point. We'll let you have your freedom. But, we pick you up… Saturday night, right?"

I smiled, "Thanks, Daddy. Yes, Saturday night, I'll call you when I get in."

My mother pulled a face, "Oh, you don't know what time the bus arrives?"

"Momma," I said, putting a hand on her shoulder, "I do, but traffic is always unpredictable. It could be seven, as scheduled, but I wouldn't be surprised with the weekend traffic if it was nine. I won't have you both sitting around here for two hours, so I'll call you on my cell when I get in. Me waiting twenty minutes is preferable to you waiting a hundred and twenty."

She nodded, "And you'll call when you get up there, right?"

I shook my head, "Momma! No, I told you, my cell will probably be out of range! Daddy," I turned a sympathetic eye to my dad, "Help me out here!"

He put his arms around my mom and turned her back towards the car, "She'll be fine, honey," he said to her, seating her in the passenger's seat and shutting the door, "You have a good trip, Wren."

I hugged him and smiled, "I will. A week of rest and relaxation, and then a day to recover from my vacation before going back to work. I can't wait!"

He got in the car and pulled out, waving. Mom was waving, too. I approached the bus station, feeling only slightly guilty for lying to them… but, only slightly. I'd be much safer with Jareth than up at a stupid spa upstate, anyway. I'm sure if they were able to get past the Goblin King thing, Underground thing, and staying in the same castle as a man thing, they'd be happy of where I was visiting.

I sat with the other passengers until time for the bus to leave, just in case Mom or Dad decided to come back, for whatever reason. When the bus was ready, and the passengers began loading, I went to the bathroom and locked myself in a stall. I waited until I was certain the bus was gone, and that the bathroom was empty, and then, taking a tight grip on my suitcase, counted my ring.

Magical travel isn't quite as nice with a suitcase as it is alone. Why, do you ask? Because… well, I don't know. Perhaps it's just my luck with these things. Either way, I somehow ended on my rump, with my suitcase across me. Muttering to myself about magical travel and stupid suitcases, I got to my feet…

I was in the throne room – but I'll be danged, it was a heck of a lot cleaner than I'd ever seen it. The floor looked nearly dirt-free. Impressive.

I turned around spying Jareth with his back to me across the room. From the looks of things, he was instructing a small team of goblins with mops and buckets on how to wash the floor… I grinned.

"Are you cleaning up, and teaching goblins to mop the floor, just for me?" I asked loudly, and grinning madly.

Jareth spun and gave me a lopsided grin while extending his gloved palms towards me. "Well," he said, sauntering towards me, "This would be your first official stay, after all. I have to make an impression."

I snickered, "Mission accomplished, I'd say. I'm highly impressed." A small goblin snickered across the room, and Jareth rolled his eyes.

But then, when he was close to me, so the goblins across the room couldn't quite hear us over the sound of slapping mops and sloshing buckets, his features softened and he enfolded me in his arms. "I am thrilled that you came, Wren."

I frowned up at him, "Did you think I wouldn't?"

He shook his head, "That is not what I was meaning… I was referring to you agreeing to come, at all."

"Again, did you think I wouldn't?"

He shrugged, "There are many places in the Aboveground that are very tempting to visit. I was sure you had your heart on something else."

"Had I known," I said, playing with the ruffles on his shirt, "That I could spend my vacation here, I think I would have taken that time months ago."

I looked up and met his eyes… we just stood there for a long while. Jareth's face was blank, as though he was inwardly contemplating something as he watched me. My mind was on him. What was he thinking of?

He smiled suddenly, stepping back and taking my hand, pulled me in the direction of the doors leading out of the throne room. "Well, Lady Wren, let me escort you to the suite that shall be yours for the duration of your stay as my guest."

"Oh, hang on," I turned back to grab my suitcase, "My bag… huh?" it was gone.

Jareth smiled, slyly, "Already taken care of, my dearling. Now, if you would follow me…"

* * *

He slowly took me to the rooms he'd prepared for me. I had the sneaky suspicion that he'd made them specially for me, or decorated them just for me, or gave them some kind of personalization, and was hoping that I'd be pleased. The pace he set so that I would remember their location…

Okay, that just made me snort a little. His castle, while I surely hadn't seen _all_ of it, was very familiar to me. Was that more of my growing Jareth-sense? I didn't know. But, I knew quite a bit of it…

Ah, but I was still flattered senseless by his thoughtfulness.

He specifically led me to his chambers, first (minds out of the gutter, if you please), so that I would know the location from there, if I needed him for whatever reason.

"You know my chambers," he said with a slight chuckle, "And your rooms are merely down this corridor and across the hall. Should anything concern you, do not hesitate to come and find me. If there is an emergency-"

"Do you expect me to have an emergency?" I interrupted, suddenly.

"No, I do not," he said, not upset by my interruption, "But the term 'emergency', but definition, does have the connotation of being unexpected. No, I do not expect for any troubles or concerns, but I would rather mention it than have you fearful if any unexpected situation should arise."

I smiled, "Thanks,"

"You are most welcome. As I was saying, should there be an emergency, hold onto your ring and call for me. I will come right away – but I caution you, when I say I will come right away, I do mean that. So, only save that for an extreme circumstance…"

"Okay, so if I stub my toe while in the bath tub, I better deal with it on my own, else you'll be _right there_. Got it."

"Ah, here we are," he stopped in front of two double doors that look much like his own chamber doors, with the exception that there were vines carved into the wood, running around the edges and carved roses near the hinges. He released my hands and made a show of opening the double doors wide and leading me inside…

Oh, if he wanted to impress me, he'd really gone the extra mile. I nearly stumbled as he took my hands once again and led me through the doors into… my suite. I don't think there was a nicer room at the _Biltmore_. I was speechless for a moment.

A queen sized bed was set length-wise in an alcove that closed off with sheer, jade colored curtains on the far left as I walked into the room. The main floor was sunken slightly and covered in plush emerald carpet. Also to the left was a small corridor… Jareth explained that it led to the washroom and bath. On the right side of the room, there were two archways, etched with more carved roses. One led to a walk in closet, in which not only were my own clothes unpacked and hanging up, but also several other things that… yeah, I'd have to look more closely at them later. The closet was also equipped with a vanity and a dressing table. The other archway led to a small, personal study. From the looks of things, the study held a small writing desk and had a few shelves with books on them. It looked as though anything I had packed that wasn't an item of clothing had been neatly arranged in the study.

Also on the right side of the room, in between the two entrances to the closet and the study, was a large, ornate fireplace. Above the fireplace was a beautiful clock, with, of course, thirteen hours on it. The fireplace was gorgeous… my house has a heating system to it, not a fireplace, so I was naturally thrilled to have one in the room. It was exactly opposite of the bed. In front of the fireplace, there were two beanbag chairs, both royal purple in color, and in the very center of the room there was a low table with a vase, filled with sterling roses.

But… really, that was just what was in the room, and how it was arranged. The stunning part was the room itself… Crown molding was amateur compared to this. Intricately carved vines and flowers ran all around the room, in anyplace where wall met ceiling. It was stunning. There were also a few mirrors on the walls, and directly opposite of the doors there were two paned doors that led to a balcony, my like Jareth's chambers had.

Okay, so, basically, the place was amazing. I loved it.

I couldn't hide the wonder on my face as I looked about. After I was sure I couldn't take anymore of it in, I somehow managed to look at Jareth… he was watching me, closely.

He grinned, "I take it the lady likes it," he said, softly.

I jumped at him and wrapped my arms around his neck, "I love it! You put this together for me? Oh my word… Jareth, this is fantastic, thank you!"

He laughed, "Anything for you, Wren," he gently kissed the top of my head, and then stepped back again from me. "I shall leave you to your room, then," he said, "And shall see you in the morning."

"Okay," I said softly, still in awe.

He paused just before he backed out of my room, shutting the double doors behind him. "Pleasant dreams, dearling."

Once I was alone, several things happened, all of them silly and would have been embarrassing had Jareth been there. First off, I danced around the room, making happy _squee_ noises. Then, I took a closer look at my closet, and a closer look at the study… okay, so I just ran through them, like I was five. Then, I realized, I needed to use the bathroom, as that disgusting bus station bathroom had been nightmarish. I'll spare you the details of my episode in trying to figure everything out, and merely let you know that I did, eventually, and then was exhausted and ready for sleep.

That bed… first of all, it made me feel like a princess. Second of all, it was the most comfortable thing, like, _ever_. I had changed into my pajamas and washed my face and whatnot, then crawled into bed. I laid on my side, staring into the glowing fireplace. When had that lit? Automatically? Meh, who cares? It was very relaxing.

I couldn't wait until morning, and wondered what it would bring for me…

* * *

**A/N: I apologize for this not being the usual random stuff… blame Newton. I swear! He's been biting a lot lately… stupid plot bunny… anyway, this is chapter one of five, regarding Wren's vacation. Then, chapter 26, I have something special planned. But… we'll see when we get there.**

**Meanwhile, do review. I ADORE reviews! Hey, you there! Yes, you, the one who's been reading this fic loyally and hasn't ever reviewed yet. Why not submit one now? C'mon… you know you want to…**

**Much love,**

**Marti**


	22. Part 2 of Wren's Vacation Underground

**Disclaimer: I believe I am insane, and this is just more nonsense from my head. All I actually own is Wren. Anyone who steals my work gives me full permission to hunt you down, and spam you into oblivion. Muahahaha. **

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****Ghostofthewaterflame: Comedy, sure, but remember, this is my plot-attack-fest… thingy… I've got a lot of plot to deal with in these upcoming chapters… curse you, Newton!!!**

**Sammi C.: Sammi? Sammi? NOOOO!!!! WHOEVER YOU ARE, LET MY REVIEWER GO!!! If that's the GK, well, then… play nice? But BRING HER BACK!!!**

**Yami Moon: I hope I can crank these ploty-chapters out quicker… they get all technical and whatnot, with all the plot… curse you Newton!!!**

**Anij: Ha! Yeah, Wren sometimes overlooks the obvious… lets hope she gets a little more observant while Underground. If not, she may miss something important!**

**Notwritten: Awesome, thank you!!!**

**Contraltissimo: Hee! Thank you! You know, even if I didn't have the beliefs that I do, I don't like to follow the grain of society, and I rather enjoy keeping this 'gutter-less'. Hee!**

**Baby.turtle.cute: Really? Hmm, I might have to head over there and check it out… when I have some time… AH! MUST FINISH THIS VACATION BEFORE NOVEMBER!!! AH!**

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****Music recommendations – guess what? I actually compiled a list of all the songs I've recommended for this fic! It's up to 45 songs! And, I'm so proud of myself, I haven't repeated any of them! Yay!**

**_We Close Our Eyes_ by Susanna Hoffs (from the –original- Buffy the Vampire Slayer soundtrack)**

**_Honey, I'm Home_ by Shania Twain**

**_I'm Alive_ by Celine Dion**

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****Okay everyone, quick note before we dive into this puppy. Wren left on a Friday night, so she has Saturday, Sunday, Monday through the next Saturday, and then comes back Saturday night. That makes eight full days… My grand plan is to do at least two days per chapter for all this. Just FYI. I know Wren said ten days, but she was just roughly estimating… eight days is still good. Fear not! Man… this thing is going to be big…****

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**Day One of Wren's vacation **

Shimmering, green sunlight woke me slightly. I blinked, lazily. I was much too comfortable to wake up fully, but the greenish light was intriguing.

Wait a minute… green sunlight?

I blinked a little more… oh, right! I giggled sleepily as I remembered where I was. No, it was regular light, but it was being seen through sheer jade curtains that covered the alcove where my bed was. I reached out a droopy hand to part the curtains a bit and look at the actual sunlight. It was very pretty, but still had a green tint, as it caught the color of the carpet in the room. I looked at the clock. It was… six? No… Seven? Or was that eight? My eyes were too tired to focus on the differently placed numbers on the differently numbered clock.

Instead, I pulled the very soft bedding back up to my neck and snuggled into the pillow further. They weren't cotton, and they weren't silk… they were something somewhere in between. Soft as silk, but more cottony… I dozed for I don't know how long. Could have easily been another hour, and I wouldn't have known it. Even then, I could have slept much later in that bed, had there not been a knock at the door, waking me.

Bleary eyed, but in that good _I had a nice sleep_ kind of way, I sat up and pushed the curtains back and tried to find my voice. Usually, it doesn't work until I've drank something…

"Come in," I said, though it sounded more like 'Min'.

The double doors opened grandly and in walked… Jareth. Had I been more awake, I would have cracked a joke about him not having servants or something, but, yeah, I wasn't awake yet. He was carrying a large tray and… I blinked. He wasn't dressed.

Well, he was clothed, but not in his usual attire. It was like he hadn't gotten dressed for the day yet. He wore blue silk (or something shiny that looked like silk) bottoms that were so strange for me to see him in, because they were loose. Loose! Not his usually tight pants! And for a top… well, it looked more like a pale robe of some kind… no, not robe, it wasn't long enough. What would that be? An extra long poet shirt that didn't button or have ruffles, but just wrapped around him and tied with a sash of the same material? Don't know what that would be called. Anyhow, it was very different. Nice, I'll say, but still shocking to see when you weren't expecting it.

"Good morning," he said in an extremely chipper voice as he closed the double doors behind him. "There is a robe laid out for you, if you would like to put it on," he commented, absently while idly looking at something on the tray he was carrying.

"Wha?" I asked groggily, looking around, feeling slow. Oh, yes, hanging on a hook beside the bed was a robe, a deep purple one. It was long and thick and fluffy… as I reached for it, I began to wake more fully and realized that I was in my pajamas, in front of Jareth. I yanked the robe around me and tied it quickly. My pajamas were, while modest, kinda silly. Just a loose cotton t-shirt and flannel Eeyore bottoms. Both were a little too loose for company, in my opinion, so the robe was very welcome.

"Mmkay, iss on," I said.

Reminding me vaguely of, dare I say it, Jack Sparrow or something, Jareth swayed his way over with the tray. He smiled in through the curtains and moved a slender hand to part the curtains, "May I join you?"

I pushed back the curtains and sat up, patting the bed, "Yeah, sure… whatcha got there?" I asked, suddenly curious. He'd been holding a large tray up in the air with one hand, up where I couldn't see it. He noticed my line of attention and smiled.

"I thought perhaps you would like to share a morning meal together," he lowered the tray to reveal breakfast. "Unless on formal occasions, I take breakfast in my chambers. I had thought to have your breakfast waiting for you when you woke," he motioned to the small table with roses on it, in the center of the room, "But as an after thought I wondered if you would prefer not to eat alone, at the very least on your first morning here as my guest," a slightly worried look appeared on his face, "Is that… alright? I really should have asked that of you last night…"

I smiled at him, "Nah, that's fine. Nice, actually," I turned my attention to the tray as I rubbed my eyes, "What do we have here?"

Jareth seated himself on the bed where I had patted it and crossed his legs beneath him, facing me. He sat the tray on the bed between us, he deftly pointed to the items on the tray… words I recognized, but food I did not. "Buttered toast with marmalade," a stack of red squares and a jar of bright green jelly-stuff, "Freshly hard boiled eggs and sausage," several yellow sphere-like things stacked ornately in a bowl and it seriously looked like someone had tried to make spaghetti with sausage instead of wheat or flour, "A variety of fresh fruit," were those orange grapes and stubby blue bananas? "And water to drink," okay, so that I recognized. Two glasses of water… but, dude, that had to be the purest water ever. It practically sparkled. I swear. "Is that to your liking?"

Red toast, yellow eggs, and blue bananas? So, it wasn't what I was used to… but, was I honestly expecting to find aboveground food here? Other than cookies, that is? Besides, when in Rome… or, in this case, the Underground…

I reached out and grabbed an orange grape to pop in my mouth (which was very tangy, and not very grape like, but good all the same) and grinned, "It's perfect!"

Jareth smiled at me again, reaching out to pluck a piece of red toast from the stack of squares.

It was then that I saw it. I gasped and almost choked on another grape-thingy.

"Wren?" he questioned, but I held up a hand.

"Whoa, whoa! Don't move!" I said, eyes still focused on it. I was now wide-awake.

"Alright…" he looked worried, but didn't move.

I couldn't believe it. At first, I just stared… but… I reached out a hand and started to touch the back of his hand, which was stretched across the tray, reaching for the toast. His _hand_. Bare hand. As in, it was the first time I had ever seen his hand without a glove on it. He wasn't wearing his gloves! I was speechless! I tapped it for just a second and drew my hand away quickly, as if it would bit me. Jareth laughed.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, in that you're-acting-rather-strange kind of voice.

I frowned, still staring at his hand. "You're not wearing gloves," I whispered in an awed voice.

This surprised him, "Oh, yes, I neglected to don them… I can remedy that…" he twisted one hand around, as if about to conjure a crystal from nowhere, and in a split second I had the feeling that I would never see his hands again.

I nearly lunged across the tray, grabbing at his bare hands, saying, "No, don't!" rather shrilly.

My hand crossed his, and our palms touched. As though it were an involuntary action, his fingers closed around my hand and I felt… a kind a shock. Sort of. Zing? Is that a better word for it? Something like that. Whatever it was, it didn't feel _bad_, but rather… nice.

Neither of us moved. Instead, our gazes locked and we just… stared. The moment was odd, to say the least. In less than half of a second, it was like we were just… he and I. How else can I explain this? Whenever I'm with him, it is never far from my mind that he is a _king_, a ruling monarch of a magical kingdom. But… I suppose it was the setting, or perhaps our relaxed clothes or something like that, but whatever the reason, it seemed, for just a second, that we were just two beings, sitting together, eating breakfast. And then, in the next half a second, part of mind wondered if this was what it would be like, to wake up and spend every morning with him…

But the moment faded. I blinked, so did he. We both smiled. I thought about asking him what that feeling had been, but… yeah, I didn't want to, just then. I just wanted to have breakfast with Jareth. He released my hand and we began to wordlessly enjoy our meal.

So… Underground food is not that bad. Actually, rather good. Jareth ate some toast and eggs, every now and then retrieving a few strings of sausage to chew on. I found myself adoring the marmalade. It looked absolutely disgusting, by my standards, but I gave it a shot – it tasted kinda creamy and fruity… almost like strawberries and cream. And I love toast, in any form.

After awhile, I broke the comfortable silence. "So," I asked while peeling a blue banana thing, "What do we have planned for today? Or, well, this week, for that matter?"

Jareth sipped at his glass of water and nodded, "Fair question," he said, replacing his glass on the tray, "Well, I would, if you do not mind, like to take my meals with you, as often as I can. Today, though, I am afraid I have some matters of state to attend to and will, regrettable be unable to join you until dinner. I thought perhaps today and tomorrow you might like to roam and see parts of the castle, Labyrinth and city. You are free to visit any where you like."

I nodded, "Sure, a nice easy start. Sounds fun… what?"

Jareth was giving me an uneasy look. "Hey," I asked more firmly, "What is it?"

He looked down at the tray and picked lightly at another egg, "Wren, I was wondering…" he cleared his throat, "Tomorrow evening, I have a dinner planned with a few important figures of the Underground. I know you are on your vacation, and I should not ask it of you to come…"

My eyes widened, "You want me to come with you?" Honestly, I thought he was going to apologize to me, and ask me to, I don't know, stay away, or something. I didn't think he'd want me, _me_, Wren, to come.

His eyes lifted to me. "These dinners are so terribly _dull_," a smile twisted the corners of his mouth, "They would be so much more exciting with you there, as my guest for the evening."

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Well, don't expect me to get up and dance on the table, or anything."

Jareth's eyes went wide, "Oh my, _no_."

I giggled, "Okay, then, sure, I'd love to go. I mean, they may seem boring to you and all, but… this is your world, Jareth, and I find most things here fascinating. I'm more than happy to go."

"Ah, wonderful!" he rose from the bed, popping that egg into his mouth, chewing happily. He sipped once more on his glass, and then leaned over and pecked me lightly on the cheek. "I shall leave you to your day, then, and I will see you tonight. I will have your noon meal set out in the gardens, by your fountain, if that is fine with you. I will also have more information on tomorrow's evening dinner for you, tonight."

I smiled at him as he headed towards the door, "Sounds good, GK. See you tonight."

"Oh!" he stopped mid way to the double doors and turned back. He came to me and took my hands in his. No zing this time – I was a little disappointed, but… the feel of his hands shoved the disappointment from my mind. They were, for the record, perfect. Long, slender, strong, pale and soft… they mesmerized me something fierce. I blinked and found that he'd taken off my ring and put it on my other hand, filling the new void on my finger with another ring – this one larger than my own. It… well, it was kinda big and oval shaped, and had a shape on the face of it that resembled Jareth's medallion. Very intricately designed, and very fancy, I watched as it magically resized itself to fit snugly on my finger.

"This," he said, by way of explanation, "Is my personal ring. It will protect you and give you access to anywhere in my kingdom, just as my medallion does for me. I don't wear it often," he said, "As a ring tends to hinder my ability to manipulate my crystals where the medallion does not. It will keep you safe when I am not with you, and…" he sighed, "Technically, Wren, wearing that ring marks you as my 'lady', but it is merely for protective purposes. I hope you do not mind…"

I smiled at it, "No, I actually don't. Thank you."

He grinned and headed back towards the doors, "You are welcome, Wren."

* * *

An hour later, I was out in the gardens, enjoying the sun, the breeze, and the feeling of magic in the air. It was wonderful! Oh, yes, I'm sure I was an odd sight, strolling through the hedges and mazes of the Labyrinth with a bag strapped across my shoulder and a smile on my face. I loved the gardens and the hedge area; it was very peaceful and quiet… I planned on going into the city, but decided to wait at least until after lunch.

As I walked, though, I had the slight feeling that someone was watching me. And… for whatever reason, I didn't think it was Jareth. No, it wasn't _menacing_ or anything like that, but… I just couldn't shake the feeling that every now and then, there were a couple of eyes on me.

It didn't really bother me, especially since I had Jareth's ring, and I knew I was safe, but after another fifteen minutes or so of walking, I started to seriously wonder where that feeling was coming from. Two turns later, I found a stone bench and sat down, taking a moment to enjoy a particularly nice view of the castle from where I sat.

I heard giggling from the shrub behind me. Familiar giggling. I just _knew_ I'd heard that before. I turned around sharply and glared into the bushes, "Who's there?" I demanded.

At first, nothing. But when I didn't turn away, the leaves and thin branches wiggled and parted, revealing a small goblin. I smiled at it, without even thinking.

"Hi Lady," it said to me.

"Um," what does one say to a goblin? "Uh… hello," I said carefully, "What… uh, what are you doing, following me?" I seriously didn't know what else to say.

Keeping its head low, the goblin exited the hedge and looked up at me, slowly, "Jus wanted to see," it said.

I frowned, "See what? Me? See me? Why?"

The goblin laughed, but didn't answer me. Then, I looked closer at it. Oddly enough, I _recognized_ it. Man, I never thought I'd see the day when I recognized one of the goblins. For the most part, they all looked alike, unless one had a really pointed nose, or something. But this one…

"Hey," I said, shaking my finger at it, "You're the same goblin that was in my office, that time, with Allie, aren't you?"

It still said nothing, but gave me a toothy smile and covered its giggling mouth with his hands.

I nodded, "Yeah, you are. I thought so… and," something else clicked in my head, "You were there at the King's balcony, weren't you? You're the one that told me about the dance contest, right?"

It giggled again and did a little dance where it stood, "Yeps, that's me."

"Huh," I leaned back a little, feeling slightly proud that I remembered all that. It had, after all, been a while since I'd seen this one. And, for that matter, I hadn't recognized him – or… it? Whatever it was – the second time I saw it. "So… little guy, why are you watching me again?"

He shrugged, "You's the King's Lady,"

I blushed slightly, "Yeah, I guess I am."

The goblin laughed, "We likes you."

I frowned, "You like me?" he nodded, "You? As in, others, too?" he nodded again. "Why?"

He giggled, "You makes the King happy," he said, "He don't kicks so much no more, after his Lady comes."

My eyes went rather large, "Uh… really?"

"Yeps!"

"Heh… well, I'm glad," I said. What else was I supposed to say to that? Someone comes up to you and tells you that they like you because when you're around, they don't get kicked so much? "That's, um… good."

The little thing just stared at me for a minute. Neither of us blinked. Finally, he smiled and leapt back into the hedge, saying, "Byes, Lady!" over his shoulder.

"Okay… bye…"

* * *

By the time dinner arrived, I was exhausted.

After finding my fountain in the gardens and my lunch waiting there for me, I had taken time to eat and then headed off to the areas I hadn't been to before. Who knew that walking around the Labyrinth and Goblin City would be so tiring? I sure as heck didn't think it would be. I literally just walked around everything, just sight-seeing. It was very fun.

I walked all through the Goblin City, absolutely fascinated by, well, everything. The small homes, the fountains, just the way of life in general. It vaguely reminded me of a European country or something… only dirtier. It was dirty, but not badly… I found myself liking it for the rugged-ness of it all. It wasn't all brown, but it was all in earth-tones; most of the structures were simple in make, but… I almost felt like I was walking through Ancient Munchkin-land or something. I don't know how else to explain it, other than it fascinated me completely.

Not to mention the fact that at almost every turn I had Goblin of every shape and size, though none bigger than my shoulder, coming out of their homes and establishments to peer at me, if only for a moment. At first, it seemed that they were upset that a human was in their midst, as though someone were running the Labyrinth and they hadn't been notified of it, but a flash of my ring changed them instantly from irritated goblins to sweet and shy creatures that were almost afraid to approach me. A few did, but none said anymore to me than the one that I had spoken to in the gardens.

Then, I noticed that the light was taking on a particularly orange hue, alerting me to the fact that the sun was setting. I stopped my walking and wondering, and looked around. I wasn't afraid of the situation, but I knew that I was hopelessly lost in the Goblin City, and I wasn't sure how to get back to the Castle.

I had thought on that for about five minutes, and then was surprised to sense Jareth behind me. I turned and smiled, finding him leaning against a wall with a grin on his face.

"Have you been enjoying yourself?" he asked, casually.

I skipped over to him, "Very much," I said, peering at a group of goblins that were watching me from down the road and behind a corner. "I feel famous, or something."

"Why is that?" Jareth frowned a little, turning to look at where I was gazing. "Oh, I see," he said simply. "They like you, you know."

"So I'm told," I said, turning back to him, "They call me 'the King's Lady', you know. I'm very flattered."

"Really?" he turned to me, surprised, "If I were to refer to you as that, you would eat me alive for it. How is it that when they say it, you're flattered?"

I reached over and flicked his arm, playfully, "Well, when they say it, they aren't being possessive. They're just assuming that _you_ are. And you would be, if I let you, and I don't. I find it… sweet."

Jareth glared at me, just as playfully, before changing the subject entirely. "Well, Wren, are you ready to return, for dinner? If I am not mistaken, it should be ready for us."

"Take me away, GK," I said. Jareth pulled me close to him, created a crystal, and we vanished.

Dinner that night was really good – more odd food. By the looks of this food, I didn't want an explanation on what it specifically was, so I just smiled and tried whatever was in front of me. It was really good, whatever it was. I figured that I'd ask him what it was after I was certain I liked it, and it wouldn't matter what it was… hopefully.

I told Jareth about my day while we ate – though that lasted no more than ten minutes – and then asked him about his. That pleased him, I think – though I have no idea why, exactly. He proceeded to tell me, briefly about his day, and then jumped into the details of the following day's dinner.

"It is merely a formality dinner," he explained, chewing delicately on something that looked like red chicken – we'll call it red chicken, for now. "It will be a few people from other kingdoms in the Underground, though none of them are direct royalty, so there is no need to worry about protocol, per say. The most these guests will be concerned about is manners, and so long as you do not," he snickered, "get up and dance on the table, then you should not have anything to worry about."

I nodded, suddenly feeling a little nervous. Was this how Jareth felt before he met Lachlan? "Okay… but, who will be here? It is here, right?"

"Yes, it will be here," he said, "And it will be a quiet affair, just a dinner with a few Fae. Namely, one of the counts from Milburga and his wife, Dyer and Myanya, and the duke and duchess of Asklepios, and the count of Mojisola and whoever he chooses to bring as a guest. And, of course, you and I."

"Hey, those names," I said, sipping at a glass of water, "You said Dyer and… Meander? Something like that?"

Jareth snickered, "Dyer and his wife, Myanya, a count and countess of Milburga."

"Yeah, them," I sat my water down, "You mentioned them before, right? In your questions… right?"

He nodded, impressed, "Very good, Wren. Yes, I did. They are as close to friends as I have here, in the Underground. Unfortunately, I have not had much communication with them since they married, nearly a century ago."

At first, I thought he was going to say more, but he stopped and went back to his food. I frowned at him. "Jareth," I said around a bite of red chicken, "If you want me to be there – and, heck, even I want to be there – then I need to know what I'm getting into. I don't want to say something awkward. What's the deal with them? Is there a reason as to why you haven't spoken to them in so long?"

Jareth sighed and sat his fork down, "Well, I suppose you have a right to know…" he was silent for a long time. I had nearly finished my red chicken, and was starting to work on some brownish-potato things. Finally, he found his voice again. "I have known both of them since youth – that is a very long time, Wren."

"Mmmkay,"

"I know Dyer," he explained, "He has always been considered by others as the epitome of a Fae noble. Very regal and proper, but quite the womanizer. I told you before that such actions are practically expected. That is how he is. Or was. I am not sure, now."

"So… he's a major flirty guy who likes girls, a lot." I frowned, slightly. He might be nice, but I didn't like the sound of him much…

Jareth sighed, "And I also know Myanya. She is a kind spirit, if ever there was one. She is half elven, and as such, she is extremely loyal in all she does. When Myanya befriends someone, it is usually for life. For all purposes, she loves the same way."

"This can only end in tears."

Jareth smirked, and nodded. "Too true. Love is a rare thing amid the Fae, Wren. As such, many marry out of convenience or for political gain. Politically speaking, Myanya was a good match for Dyer. In terms of love, Myanya has always loved Dyer dearly. Dyer, though, while he always thought highly of Myanya, being friends with her as I was, I believed it impossible for him to love her.

"This is not uncommon. Highly understandable, actually. But…" he sighed, "I feared for Myanya. I knew her well, and knew it was in her nature to give her heart, wholly. I knew if they married, Dyer would not be faithful to her, and would wound her terribly. As a friend to both, I could not bear to let that occur," he looked at me, "When you meet them, you shall see why, I believe, right away. But," he shrugged, "I attempted to intervene."

My eyes widened, "Intervene? How?"

Jareth looked away, "I am of higher rank than Dyer. He had willingly begun courting Myanya, with all intentions of marrying her, but I cut in. I…" he looked at me, shiftily, "I proposed to her. I was willing to marry her, even though I did not love her…"

"To save her from being hurt…" my throat caught as I finished for him. He was willing to do that? Quite a few emotions went through my head, and heart, at that thought. Had he succeeded, and obviously he did not, I would never have met him… or, perhaps I would have. Would I have gotten myself stuck in the Labyrinth forever, only to have to serve a King and Queen? Or… would the thing with Sarah never have happened, never have been made into a movie, and never known by anyone? Most likely, I never would have met Jareth, or even have been aware of his presence. I shuddered. But, at the same time, my heart ached. I was dating a person who cared so much for another, he was willing to marry another to save her.

He was watching me carefully as he continued. "As you can guess, Dyer was not too happy about that. Neither, for that matter, was Myanya. She did love him, you see. He claimed he loved her – but I knew things of him Myanya did not. Dyer was not pleased with me. He believed I was making incorrect assumptions but, even at his words, I would not step aside until Myanya came and explained that she wished to marry Dyer. I finally stepped aside, with apologies to both. We are not on bad terms, we are still friendly, but…"

"It's awkward?" I guessed.

He nodded, "For the most part, yes. The entire incident changed things between the three of us, I am not entire certain as to how, but it did. We are still 'friends' by all definitions, but we do not see each other as we once did. As I said, I have not seen them since they wed. I have had a few communications with them, but even that has been a very long time."

I nodded, "Okay, I got it, then. Is there anything else I should know about the rest of these people that are going to be there?"

Jareth smirked, "Well… perhaps I should inform you that I have not notified anyone about you. They know I have a guest with me, and you will be attending, but… they do not know we are courting, or that you are from the Aboveground."

My eyes bugged, "JARETH! Is that… okay? They won't… I don't know… have me executed or something, will they?"

Jareth began laughing in earnest – no, more than earnest. He was laughing so hard, he was near tears. When he caught my frown, he sobered and looked at his dinner plate. "You read too many fan fictions, Wren."

* * *

**Day Two of Wren's Vacation**

The next day was spent pretty much the same as the previous one. Jareth woke me again, with breakfast – this time it was two bowls of something that looked like oatmeal, only it was sweeter, creamier, and rather orange-tinted, and more fruit. We ate quietly – I was nervous. Jareth swore he would meet me for lunch, wherever I was, so I could go anywhere I liked. I headed right out to the Goblin City, hoping that the calm earthy feel would relax me. It did… a little.

When the sun got high, I had that feeling again that Jareth was nearby. I turned around, but he wasn't there… but he was close, I could feel it. I backtracked to the edge of a small dwelling I had just passed and looked around the side. There, I found him – handing a small toy or something to a goblin shorter than my knee. The thing was very small, and very happy at whatever it was the King had said. It clutched the item to its chest and ran off, quickly. Jareth smiled after it, then stood and faced me.

"Hello Wren," he said, "Enjoying your day?"

I smirked at him, "Very much. What was that about?"

"What was what about?"

"That," I motioned in the direction the little goblin had run, "What happened?"

He smiled, faintly, "A young one lost a button off some kind of toy, and was very brave in asking me to fix it,"

I smiled at him, "And you fixed it?"

He looked at me, somewhat surprised, "Of course I did – but with a stern lecture about taking better care of one's possessions," he smiled, "Are you ready for to go back for lunch?"

He reached out his hand to me, and I took it. "Let's go," I said.

* * *

My nerves had, in a relatively small amount of time, gone from me being simply anxious to me being petrified. Of course, being that I was sitting in front of the dressing table, wearing clothes that I never could have been able to afford had Jareth not given them to me, and trying to do _something_ with my hair, it doesn't help the matters much.

But, somehow, I managed to make myself presentable, and was ready when Jareth appeared outside my doors to escort me to dinner.

I was wearing the least fancy dress I could find in my closet. That had been a special surprise from Jareth – he'd had several dresses made, in approximately my size, waiting for me, in case I needed them. They ranged from very simple, to terribly elaborate, and, I think as a joke, he included that one dress – you know, the pink ruffled one that gives me nightmares. I wasn't about to touch that one, but the simple one was good enough for the evening. He had assured me that this dinner was not overly fancy, so I chose the simple turquoise one, that was, for lack of a better explanation, just a plain dress. There were, of course, matching soft-soled slippers, and – nearly to my horror – gloves that went up to my elbows. I'm not used to wearing gloves, and wasn't all that pleased about having to wear them, but considering that Jareth was rarely seen without his, I guessed that it was probably a protocol thing in the underground, even if an unspoken one, and went ahead and wore them without complaint.

He was there, waiting, when I exited my room. He was dressed in a black, high-collared shirt, gray _breeches_ and, of course, black boots and gloves. Greeting me with a soft smile, he took a step back and admired my dress, making me go a little red in the face.

"Very lovely, Wren," he said, offering me his arm.

I tried to swallow, "Thanks," I said in somewhat strained voice while I took his arm.

He patted my arm as he led me down the hallway, towards the dinning hall. "There is no need to be nervous," he assured me.

I swallowed again, "Easy for you to say – I, for one, have never been to a state dinner before, even if it is an informal one."

All too quickly, we were at the double doors to the dining hall. Two large goblins were there, waiting. As we approached, Jareth took one small moment to squeeze my arm and then waved a hand to the goblins, who promptly opened the doors.

The room was, while not elaborate, clean and done up nicely. The long, rectangular table – yes, the same one that Jareth and I had eaten dinner at the previous night – was very fancy, indeed. It had food up and down the table and was decorated with several candelabras that gave enough light to completely light the faces of those already seated around the table.

There were three seats along each length of the table, and a chair on each end. Only two chairs were empty at the table – one at the end, where I knew Jareth would sit, and the seat just to the left of that. I was very relieved to know I would be sitting beside him. I wasn't sure why I thought I wouldn't be, but knowing that no matter what, he'd be right there was an ease to my mind.

As we entered, everyone stood gracefully and turned to face us. I felt myself go slightly pale – these people were gorgeous. Each one was taller and thinner than I was and just… beautiful. I felt very self-conscious. Jareth led me to the table and smiled at the people – no, the Fae – who were there.

"Welcome," he said to the group, nodding slightly. "Let me make our introductions. I would, first of all, like you all to me my guest for the evening, Lady Wren Neilson," everyone bowed the heads slightly to me… I wasn't sure what to do, so I just smiled.

Then Jareth continued. "Wren," he said, "I'd like you to meet Duke Eadwig and his wife, Duchess Yasiri, of Asklepios," the man sitting at the other end of the table and the woman sitting to his left (basically the exact opposite of Jareth and I) dipped their heads towards me, "Then we have the Count Dyer and Countess Myanya of Milburga," They were seated together, across from me, with Dyer at Jareth's immediate right, "and Count Ference of Mojisola and the Lady Zsanett," they were seated to my left.

Everyone looked at me, somewhat expectantly. I smiled, and said the only thing I could think of to say, which was not much, and probably very inappropriate, "Howdy."

As we all sat down, and I went bright red, my 'howdy' earned me strange looks from the Duke and Duchess at the other end of the table, but I was pleased to see Myanya smiling at me. She really was pretty – she had very long dark hair that twisted and turned as it fell about her shoulders. Her skin was pale – heck, everyone was pale, just like Jareth was – but it slight rosy hue to it. Here eyes were dark in color, and I… I think they were dark brown, but it was very hard to tell. Dyer had brown hair that, if it were shorter, would probably look like Jareth's, but, being as it was, was long and tied back at the nape of his neck. He, too, had a slight rosy hue to his coloring, but his eyes were green. He smiled politely, but he seemed to be rather the proper sort… or, perhaps he, like me, did not know what else to say.

Dinner began in a quiet fashion, with small conversation going lightly around the table. For the first twenty minutes or so, I was content to sit and listen to what was being said. I barely understood it, especially when it came from the Duke, because he had a very heavy accent that I didn't quite understand.

I'll just say, I had no clue, at that point, what I was eating. Nor, for that matter, did I want to know.

After a little while, as the duchess of Aske-whatever-that-was and the countess of Mojo-soul-something were discussing some current fashion trend, I felt Jareth reach over and take my hand, briefly, giving it a slight squeeze. When I looked at him, his gaze silently asked me if I was okay or not. I squeezed back and blinked with a smile; I was enjoying this. These people fascinated me, I swear they did, and so I enjoyed sitting among them, just watching. Even if no one spoke to me the entire evening, I would have still enjoyed the experience.

But, I did get spoken to.

"Lady Wren," came a softly musical voice, causing me to turn from Jareth and look for who had called me. It was Myanya. Goodness, she was so soft-spoken! She sipped at her glass of wine (yes, as a state dinner, they had wine… but I distinctly noticed that Jareth and I had sparkling water, as did the Lady Zsanett) and then, sitting it down carefully, continued, "I hope you do not find me terribly rude in asking, for I do not wish to offend in the least – my curiosity often gets the better of me, I fear – but I was curious as to where you are from," she gave a nervous laugh and glanced lightly at Jareth, "I tried terribly hard to learn of who would be dining with us, but Jareth flatly refused to say!"

I smiled, genuinely, at her. Yes, it was obvious that I was not Fae, and she had found the most polite way of asking what I was – I was very grateful that she asked it before someone else did, possibly in a more rude manner. I cleared my throat and used the moment to gather my thoughts, desperately hoping to avoid another 'howdy' moment.

"I'm from the Aboveground," I said, casually (I'd gave Jareth a brief look before saying so… but he'd nodded faintly in approval of me saying so… maybe he was right, maybe I did read too many fan fictions…). To my surprise, this seemed to pique the interest of several people around the table.

Myanya, for one, raised her eyebrows, interestedly, "Oh, is that so?" she asked, curious. "Do you mind me asking where from?"

Okay, so far, so good… "Well," I glanced around, just a tiny bit nervous at the new attention I was getting, "I'm from the southwestern region of the United States."

Dyer dipped his head with a smile on his lips. He nudged Myanya, gently, "You had better not tell Tillan, then,"

I looked at Dyer, and briefly at Jareth, too. 'Tillan' was another name I recognized. "Tillan?" I asked.

Myanya smiled at me, "My brother," she explained. "Tillan is terribly fascinated with the Aboveground, and he visits far more often than he should."

I grinned, "Well, if he ever wants to ask me questions, or whatever, he's more than welcome to, any time."

Jareth snorted into his glass and a few people laughed. "I know Tillan," he said to me, "And you may regret giving him permission to do so."

I smirked at Jareth, "I don't suppose he'd show up as a security guard at my work, would he?"

The table laughed heartily as Jareth went a slight shade of pink. I smiled greatly – I made them laugh…

The Lady Zsanett turned to me then, asking in a strange accent, "Wren, how did you meet the Goblin King?"

I chewed on a piece of some kind of meat and swallowed before answering her, time enough to have the entire table looking at me, waiting for my answer.

"I wished myself away." I said, simply. Why bother sugarcoating things?

Raucous laughter broke out around the table – I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Myanya covered her mouth, delicately, and looked surprised, "No, no, really, Wren, how did you meet? We are all dying to know!"

I blushed, but smiled, "No, really, I _actually_ wished myself away… It was impulsive of me, I know, but I did. I then ran the Labyrinth for the right to stay permanently in the Underground. I failed, miserably," I explained to the confused faces watching me, "But I was grateful to have failed. If I had succeeded, I would have been miserable here, forever cut off from my family and friends. The Goblin King had been kind enough to assist me in said failure. "

Dyer looked at Jareth with a congenial, but perplexed expression on his face. Jareth laughed and explained, "I spent most of Wren's thirteen hours with her," he said, "And most of that time arguing like mad," there was more laughter around the table, "But," his voice softened slightly, causing me to blush horribly, "In that time, she made quite the impression on me. We have been friends and often companions ever since."

"And what luck for all of us," said the duchess Yasiri, who was still giggling slightly, to Jareth, "Your little mortal friend makes for delightful dining conversations!"

My eye twitched slightly at being called Jareth's _little mortal friend_, but I tried to ignore it. At her words, nods of agreement went around the table. Ference gave me a very kind smile, "She is quite the delight," he said.

Man, these guys must not get out much, if they thought I was that funny. Or… perhaps they thought it was just an 'ethnic' kind of thing? I don't know. Either way, they seemed to like me, well enough. Even if they were lying through their teeth, at least they weren't doing their worst to make me more uncomfortable than I already was.

I think Jareth noticed my discomfort at so much attention, and he smoothly changed the subject. The rest of the dinner went without a hitch. I was beyond relieved.

After we'd finished eating, Jareth stood and thanked everyone for coming. The guests slowly made their way to the doors (I think to be polite more than anything else) and then vanished away. Did they use crystals, like Jareth did? If so, I didn't see any.

The Lady Zsanett stopped me, briefly, to compliment me on my hair, and also to say that she enjoyed meeting me very much. Apparently, she'd never met an Abovegrounder before. In a burst of confidence, after she curtsied to me, I offered to show her how people greet each other, where I'm from – with a handshake. She wore gloves, so I didn't think there would be an issue (I still wasn't sure what the significance of glove), and she was thrilled when I showed her. I shook her hand just before she left with Ferrence.

The last to leave were Dyer, who was in deep conversation with Jareth. After Zsanett left, Myanya came to speak with me.

"Wren," she said, approaching me with her palms flat out, facing me. "Tonight was a real treasure, with you here," she said, softly.

I looked at her hands, and gave her a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry," I said, "I'm not familiar with…" I motioned to her hands.

She indicated for me to put my hands up, too. I did so, and she gently pushed her hands to mine, letting our gloved palms touch, briefly, before she slid them away. Fun.

"I wanted to thank you," she said. I started to say something, but she stopped me with her hand, "No, not for tonight, though I am very glad to meet you," she smiled and took a step closer to me, "For Jareth,"

"What do you mean?"

Her smile had a knowing look to it, "I have not seen my friend this pleased in a very long time, Wren. You give him joy."

"Oh," I said… I didn't know what to say. "You're welcome…?"

She just continued to smile at me, before turning around and walking to Dyer's side, and taking his arm. Jareth thanked them again, Dyer nodded a farewell to me, and they disappeared in a wispy cloud of blue smoke.

Once they were gone, I found myself in Jareth's arms, almost instantly. He picked me up and spun me around, happily. I let out a surprised shriek, and he set me back down.

"What the heck, GK?" I asked, rather dizzy.

He hugged me and kissed the top of my head, "You were wonderful, tonight, did you know?"

I frowned into his chest, "I was funny without even trying, I guess. I figured as much when that one lady nearly choked on her wine."

He took my arm and began to lead me back to my room. I was, at that point, exhausted.

"GK, is it late?" I asked, hiding a yawn.

He thought for a second, "Time wise? No, not very late. Why do you ask?"

"I just got very sleepy, all of a sudden…" I said, yawning. Couldn't hid it any longer.

He nodded, "So much magic in the room, and being so nervous before hand, I do not doubt you are tired. It may be early, but I recommend you get some rest."

I looked up at him, "Why's that?"

He gave me a wickedly secretive smirk, and said, "I may have a surprise for you."

He dropped me at my door, kissed me goodnight – a very warm and tender kiss – and promised to wake me in the morning.

In no time, I was in my bed, feeling dazed at the events of the day. The fire was lit, again, and was comforting to my tired eyes… Just before I fell asleep, I wondered briefly what surprise Jareth had in store for me…

* * *

**A/N: Phew! Took me long enough! Dang that plot-bunny Newton! He does this to me, I swear. Two days, one chapter down, six more days and three more chapters to go! Think I can make it? Cross your fingers for me. And review, please – I very much appreciate it.**

**Also, I must add, a very big thanks to Danika, for listening to me prattle on and on about this over the phone for the last few days, for helping me settle on names, and for giving me a temporary pardon from writing the next chapter of our collaboration fic, _Muck, _so I could get this finished.**

**And, one last thing to add - if anyone is interested, I FINALLY got a deviant art page up, with my drawings of Wren and Jareth, and a few other things, too. If you're interested in seeing them, I have a link to it in my profile. **

**Much love, ****Marti**


	23. Part 3 of Wren's Vacation Underground

**Disclaimer: Wren is mine, the rest is not, so… yeah. Don't steal her. Thanks.**

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****Sammi C.: Ah, man, writer's block is the worst! I hope it clears up, my friend. **

**Ghostofthewaterflame: Hmm, maybe we'll see about the gloves, as we go. I haven't quite decided yet… and don't worry, I am writing more!**

**Yami Moon: Knowing Newton, these chapters are going to be long, so no worries there.**

**Anij: Relax? Underground? Ha! We shall see…**

**DanikaLareyna: Well? Where's my doodle? My contribution to Muck has been added... so... now it's your turn!!! Muahahahahaha!!!!**

**Notwritten: Thank you! Seriously, my friend, do you know what power you have? Long reviews from you are so absolutely flattering... like, being told I've gotten an Oscar nomination, or something!**

**Contraltissimo: Tell Shred that the Lady Zsanett is highly single, and Wren may be able to pull some strings for him, some time or another. D**

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****Music recommendations: **

**_Fill Your Heart_ by David Bowie – hee! I just got this the other night (Hunky Dory), and… it just makes me smile.**

**_Legs_ by ZZ Top – um… yeah, I so love this song. It makes me want to dance! **

**_Come Go with Me_ by The Del Vikings – so a cute oldie here… I like it.**

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****Um, perhaps I should put in a slight warning... going by reactions I got while I was writing this (which you can all thank Danika for) I would suggest being prepared for giggling like mad, and... yeah, odd stares, maybe. I am not responsible for any and all odd looks you may get, should you find my nonsense to be funny!**

**And now, on with the show...**

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* * *

****Wren's Vacation, day Three**

What is it about a fancy dress that makes you tired? I don't know, but I think the feeling gets compounded when you add fancy slippers and gloves into the mix. Whatever it was, I was so tired that morning… I didn't hear Jareth knock when he came to wake me.

Nor did I hear him set the tray on the table.

Nor did I feel him sit on the bed, and give me a gentle shake.

Yeah, I was THAT tired. Heh. What can I say?

But… he did manage to wake me. It was a soft, warm feeling that woke me… I forget what I'd been dreaming of… something pink, I think, but I couldn't be sure of it. Anyway, it was like my mind was drawn out from under the subconscious covers of my dreams. Something was warm on my face… no, my mouth… and something was tickling my ears… and there was warm breath on my cheek…

No, I knew that feeling. It was a kiss. Without thinking I kissed back. The feeling stopped, replaced by a new feeling, and a voice.

"Good morning," Jareth said to me, very softly as he brushed my hair out of my face. I opened my eyes just in time to see him, very close, leaning down to kiss me again. I let him – what, was I supposed to complain? – but smiled and giggled sleepily when his hair tickled my ear again.

"Ah," he pulled back and smirked at me, "So you are awake, now. I wonder how long you were faking…?" He laughed and left my line of sight. I looked around, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. He was retrieving the tray from where he'd sat it on the table, so he could wake me.

I cleared my throat and tried to speak, but before I could, Jareth was handing me a glass of water. I blinked at it, and smiled softly, gratefully. After a few sips, my voice was ready and working for the day.

"Okay, you had your fun playing Prince Charming," I said, plucking a lumpy looking fruit from the tray of food he'd brought for breakfast, "So…" I yawned, quickly, "What's on the agenda for today. You said you had a surprise for me. What's up?"

Jareth also helped himself to the tray, lounged on my bed and gave me a sneaky smile. "Do you swim, Wren?" he asked just before taking a bite of fruit.

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Yes, I do, actually. Why? What are you scheming?"

Both his eyebrows went up at that, "Why do you call it a scheme? Can it not be a plan for the two of us, for the day?"

"Not with that smirk, glitter boy. What's up?"

He looked away from me, still smiling, and pulled a somewhat innocent face. "I am merely curious how alluring you would look in a bathing suit."

"A WHAT?!"

* * *

As it turned out. Jareth had arranged to take me to his favorite 'swimming hole', Lunari Lake, for the day. I was utterly skeptical, especially since I am not the 'bathing suit' kind of girl… more of a T-shirt and shorts kind of girl… but Jareth assured me that we would be the only ones there, and I'd love it…

He'd left me after breakfast to dress for the day, and I did so as quickly as I could. I waited around a little while for him to be ready – he had a few 'stately' things to take care of before we left, but it couldn't have been after nine in the morning when he did show back up at my door.

When he did show up at my door, he was holding up something that frightened me.

"What is _that_?" I asked, looking the silvery-fuchsia colored _thing_ he was holding in one gloved hand.

For once, his face was innocent and honest – he _wasn't_ joking. "A bathing suit. You do not have one, yes?"

Still mesmerized by the hideous color, I tried to answer. "Yes – uh, no – uh, I don't – yes – uh…" I shook my head, "No, I don't have one, I didn't think to bring one…"

He held it out to me, "I thought perhaps you would like to put it on now, rather than later, at the lake."

My eyes went wide, "You can't expect me to wear _that._ That's what, spandex or something?"

He shook his head, "No, not… not whatever it is you said it was. This is a lovely suit, designed to tread water gracefully – there is nothing wrong with it – why must you be stubborn about it?"

I looked at it… _was_ I being stubborn? What was my aversion to it? The color, mainly. But… I also hadn't worn an actual bathing suit since I was… eight? Had that been how old I was? Heck, I couldn't even remember! And… I sure as heck hadn't been in one around any guys. It kinda… scared me.

Amid my debating, Jareth sighed, "Wren," he said, "Understand this. Fae women rarely concern themselves with such modesty, so this is an item that is somewhat hard to come by in the Underground. As such, I created this specifically _for you_ – I know your values. Will you wear it?"

I blinked and looked at him, "We'll be the only ones there, right?"

"Yes," He nodded, "Just you and I."

I forced my head upward and put a smile on my face. "Okay, I will wear it," I said, disbelieving my own mouth. I reached out a shaking hand and took it from him, "Just…just give me a second…"

He smiled at me… I turned my back to him, and glowered. I couldn't believe I was going to do this…

* * *

Ten minutes (which mostly consisted of my staring at myself in the mirror, trying not to cry or scream or something of that sort) and a poof of glitter later, and I found myself at…

… The prettiest place I'd ever seen.

I looked around me in awe. This place was amazing, seriously. We were, by all appearances, in a valley in the middle of a very mountainous area. Nestled in the middle of this valley, which was green and lush with strange trees and other forms of vegetation, was a slightly crescent-shaped lake… but you couldn't call it Lunari Lake for just its shape. The water of this lake was so clear and blue… was all Underground water this pretty?

We had brought towels and Jareth had brought what I guessed was a picnic basket with our lunch in it, for later on. He had brought us to a sandy beach that ran along the eastern edge of the lake, a mere ten to fifteen feet from the water's edge. I was wearing the suit that made me look like a shiny pink marshmallow, but had a large towel wrapped snugly around me like a cloak. Jareth, on the other hand, was still fully dressed. I was partly worried as to what he'd be bathing in…

I slipped off my flip-flops and wiggled my toes in the sand… the sand was sparkly and white. I'd never seen anything like it…

I wasn't long before I was ripped from my thoughts of sparkly sand when I felt a hand grab hold of the towel from behind me and _yank_!

"Yyyaaahh!" I stumbled forward and splashed into the water of the lake – not a voluntary action, I assure you. I spun around, creating several splashes and ripples on the smooth surface of the lake. "Jareth!" I hissed.

He was holding my towel, walking over to a spot on sand far from the water, where he had deposited the rest of our things.

"You were going to get it wet," he said, calmly, "And then how would you get dry? It had to come off, Wren."

I started to fume, but then realized I was standing there, in the suit, feeling very naked. Okay, so as far as bathing suits go, this wasn't the worst I could have been wearing. It totally could have been some kind of low cut, revealing bikini or something like that… this was a rather flattering one piece, that had thick straps that covered a good portion of my shoulders and went down a couple of inches on my upper arms. The lower part of it rode my hips, so I felt like I was wearing short shorts instead of, I don't know, underwear or something. I think I'd seen Ester Williams wear one in an old movie that was somewhat like this… but it did have a low back to it, as most all suits have, and so I felt utterly… bare.

I dropped instantly, sliding back into the water, and getting as far in as I could while still keeping the bottom sand beneath my feet. I was up in my neck in about six seconds flat.

Jareth, chuckling slightly, shook his head, and then began to remove his clothes. He piled up his jacket, gloves (which were an utter fascination to see him _take them off_), and boots. That had all been done with his back to me, but when he'd finished that, he glanced over his shoulder, smirking.

"Liking the view?" he asked, making me go very red.

I ignored that comment and, instead, asked, "You made me wear this eggplant-suit, what are you wearing to swim in?"

Faster than what seemed possible, he'd pulled the shirt over his head and grinned at me, not saying a word. He was now clad only in his _breeches_… oh no… he wouldn't… would he?

I gasped and clapped my hands over my face. He laughed heartily.

"Um," I said in a somewhat muffled voice from behind my hands, "Just let me know when you're in the water…"

"Wren," he said to me after a moment. I didn't move. "Wren," he prompted me again.

"Are you in?" I asked, nervously.

"Wren!"

"WHAT?" I ripped my hands from my face before I'd realized it, "Ahhhh! Oh…" and had started to panic, but the sight of what he was wearing halted my protests instantly.

He stood, bare-chested, wearing red and white-stripped trunks that rode high on his waist and went down to his knees. The reminded me of something out of the 1920's – not at all what I expected him to wear.

Ah, I should be grateful, shouldn't I? I _was _grateful, but gratitude or no, that didn't stop me from giggling madly when I saw them. I couldn't help it. The red and white stripes? Yeah, I wasn't going to go there.

Ignoring my giggles, he wadded into the water before he dove in, and out of sight.

Yeah, and then he promptly grabbed my ankles and yanked me under the water. And so the water war began.

* * *

acting like five year olds in the water. Dang that GK, he was too fast for me under the water. I couldn't catch him, no matter how hard I tried… but we had fun, all the same. We'd float for a long while, or head up and lay on the beach, which was nice in the warm morning sun, since the water was just a bit chilly. I even fell asleep for a grand total of five minutes in the sun before I was woken up by cold water on my back – and off I was again, trying to dunk him, or something. In all truth, I wasn't sure what I'd do with him if I'd actually caught him, but it was fun to try, all the same.

It had been a moment in the warm sun, when I'd fallen asleep on the sand, when Jareth cracked open the picnic basket and we stopped our games for lunch. He'd come up with some kind of pita thingy… again, I didn't ask what it was. It was nice, and that's what mattered.

After lunch, Jareth stretched out in the sun, on his back in the sand.

"Feeling sleepy, GK?" I asked, teasingly.

He grinned and closed his eyes, putting his hands behind his head and sighing, "No, I am not, I am just… resting."

The sun did feel nice… "Whatever you say. Mind if I rest with you?"

He didn't say anything, but grinned wider, showing his slightly pointed teeth. "I'll take that as a yes," I said, packing away the remains of our lunch and setting the basket aside. I curled up next to him, also on my back, tilting my head to the side so it rested on his chest. The contact of his bare chest gave me chills. I smiled, closing my eyes…

The sun had moved by the time I stirred and realized I was feeling quite… crispy. My face felt rather dry and ultra warm. I sat up, looking at Jareth, who was snoring slightly. I sighed and decided to dip in the cool water.

The cold water made my face, shoulders and neck feel better. I wadded in just a little ways and went under for a bit, looking around at the depths of the beautiful lake. As I came up, I saw Jareth sitting up and rubbing his eyes. I turned my head to the side as I watched him. To my recollection, I'd never seen him _wake up_ before… it was interesting. It kind of made all of this seem that much more real.

For no real reason, I made my way over to him, sat beside him, and then flopped over, laying on my back with my head in his lap. He looked down at me, still blinking himself awake, seeming to be slightly confused as to why I was suddenly lying on his lap.

"I am reluctant to inform you, Wren, that you have lost your senses," he said, lightly, stifling a yawn, "And have mistaken me for a pillow."

I smiled up at him, "No mistake, GK. This is intentional."

"Is it?"

I smiled and looked out over the lake, "Tell me about it, Jareth," I said, quietly, "Tell me about… other times you've been here."

He leaned backward, propping himself up on his elbows. "I often came here, in my youth," he said, his regal voice taking on a reminiscent tone, "And I have not been here in many years."

I looked over at his face, "And that's it? No gallant tales of brotherly antics, or crazy adventures for this place?"

"No," he said, lightly, "I am an only child."

"Really?" I mean, I guess I knew that much about Jareth, but… not having any siblings seemed so foreign to me. "I can't imagine not having brothers and sisters."

He looked at me, somewhat wistfully, "I envy you, Wren, for having such family, and such closeness with them."

I snorted, "What, you envy the hand-me-down clothes and toys, never having your own room, never having privacy, scrimping like mad to afford anything, getting blamed for something you didn't do, and being bossed around endlessly, as though you have seven parents instead of two?"

He shook his head, "But consider growing up alone. No one older than you to assist you or watch out for you, and no one to share the burden of family expectations. Think of how many people care about you, Wren. I was never so lucky."

I smiled, "Well, I care. What was that part about 'never'?"

He grinned, "Let me amend that. I was not so lucky, until now. Better?"

"Much," I looked up at the sky, "But, c'mon, you have to have some kind of tale about this place. If you love it so much, there has to be a reason why, right? Don't you have some crazy tale or story you could tell me?"

He grinned, "Well, I did, during a royal retreat with members of the Elven Court, manage to anger an aging water sprite so terribly that she stole my pants while I was in the water."

I giggled insanely, "Oh, man! I bet that was embarrassing when you got out, to find your pants gone."

"No… she was a water sprite, Wren. They were my swimming pants, _while_ I was in the water."

I laughed, loudly, and it was a good while before I could breathe properly again. Images of Jareth, trying to explain such a situation to a group of stuffy elves was too funny, in my mind. Then, abruptly, I frowned at him.

"Wait, two things, here. First, what the heck did you do to upset her so badly?"

A slight pink hue colored his sharp cheekbones. "Well, erm, you see," he cleared his throat, "Any time I have come here on any kind of official business, such as a royal retreat with important members of the Underground, I come a day early to enjoy myself. I took to exploring the far side of the lake, where the sprite had made her home, and it was such a warm day…"

I eyed him, "Yes?"

Yes, his cheeks were definitely pink, now. "I skinny dipped in a lovely little mossy area that was, unbeknownst to me, the same area of the lake she called home," when my eyes bugged, slightly, he turned his nose in the air, "Well, how was I to know she lived there? As rude as it was for me to have traipsed through her home, nude, it was also quite rude of her to not make her living area more distinguishable. I politely pointed that out to her, and she vehemently disagreed with me."

There was an awkward silence, during which I was trying not to burst into hysterical laughter.

Jareth cleared his throat, again, "You said two things, what was the second thing?"

I shook my head, "Never mind, it's not important."

"Come now, tell me,"

I giggled, "Well… I _was_ going to just comment that it was _probably_ more likely that the nymph wasn't, you know, holding a grudge against you as much as she had… _ulterior_ _motives_. But, that's not very important to say, now…" I coughed, to hide my giggles, "because now I'm sure of it."

* * *

We opted to stay until sunset. That was Jareth's idea, as he explained that the sunset from the mountains here was lovely. While watching it, I had to agree with him.

When mid afternoon had come, I'd begun to be a little tired of being fuchsia and wet, and had changed into a comfortable pair of pants and shirt. Jareth, not long after, had also redressed, but we both remained barefooted – there's no point in trying to wear shoes when you're in sand, I tell you. So, when sunset arrived, we sat in the sand, watching the rays of orange and gold light shift in the trees and catch in the sparkling ripples of the lake.

I, for one, was completely content. Jareth sat right behind me, his legs extended on either side of me, with his arms wrapped around my waist as I reclined against him. I had a brief bubbly moment, somewhere in there, when it hit me, the fullness of my situation. One year ago, if someone had come to me and said that, in a year, I'd be sitting on a gorgeous beach by a mystic lake in a magical realm, in the arms of a very handsome King from said realm, I would have smiled at them, took them by the hand, and taken them somewhere to have them committed.

And, of course, had that happened, by now I would have felt really horrible about it.

* * *

**Wren's Vacation, Day four**

The next morning, I was woken from my sleep, quite abruptly, by a tray of breakfast clattering to the ground, and a horrified gasp and yell.

As you might guess, those are two noises one isn't accustomed to hearing, first thing in the morning, and as such, the noise drove me to shoot straight up in bed, looking around furiously, wondering what horrible incident had occurred while I slept.

But, there were no monsters or ghosts or any kind of horror to be found. Only a severely worried Jareth and a spilt breakfast.

I looked at him, my chest heaving in a post-adrenaline rush, trying to get my tired brain to comprehend what the heck had possesed him to wake me in such a manner.

Ignoring the stinging sensation on my face, I asked the only thing I could think of to ask.

"Where's the cockroach?"

He said nothing, but merely shook his head and blinked a few time, still looking horrified.

I shook my head, trying to get myself to wake up more fully, "No, seriously, where is it…" I turned around, looking in my sheets and on the bed… it had to be there, I was certain… "Where… Jareth, where is it?" I demanded, angrily.

No, I wasn't really angry, but, I couldn't help but be grumpy. My mind, still in one-track mode, was only thinking on killing the offending bug and going back to sleep.

Man, and it didn't help that my face was so stiff…

"Wren," he choked out, at last, his voice filled with worry (enough worry to actually calm my flaring temper), "What… what happened to you?"

I blinked and looked at him. "What… what the heck does that mean? What do you MEAN, what happened to me??"

He carefully reached out to me, as though he was going to touch my face, but at the last second, opted to take my hand and carefully pull me from the bed, instead. As though I were a hospital patient, he slowly walked me over to one of the mirrors that hung on the wall.

I was freaking out. What was wrong? Did… I don't know, did something eat my face while I slept? Did I morph into something freakish??? What the heck was wrong?!?!

He looked so worried… carefully, he turned me to face the mirror.

I was red. I mean, REALLY red. In my haste to enjoy a vacation, and having no previous knowledge of a lake visit, I'd neglected to worry about sunscreen.

I was, in short, burned redder than a beet.

But… was that it?

I reached up and tenderly touched my face, wincing as my fingers caressed the burnt flesh. Basically, I was pink all over, but my cheeks, chin, forehead, ear tips, and nose were a flaring red.

I frowned and looked at Jareth, "Um, I don't suppose you have any Aloe Vera and some Tylenol, do you?"

He frowned back at me, "Wren, what is this… this… irritant that has overcome you?"

Huh? "What, you've never seen sunburn before?"

His eyes went wide, "The sun _burns_ you?"

I nodded, "Yeah… it's my complexion, Jareth… prolonged exposure to sunlight without sunscreen, or some other kind of protection, burns me… how come you didn't fry? I don't get it."

He didn't seem to hear me. He turned away from me, nearly staggering to a beanbag chair and collapsing into it, dramatically. "Lunari Lake…" he said quietly, "I did this to you…"

I marched over to him, "It's just a burn, Jareth, and I've gotten them all my life! Haven't you heard of a sunburn?"

He looked up at me, near tears, "No! I… the sunrays of the Underground do not _burn_, and Fae, unless hoisted over an open flame, do not _fry_!"

It was becoming increasingly apparent that my face was not the only thing burned on me, as I moved about. I could feel my legs aching in my pajama bottoms and my arms felt almost itchy. But… okay, I had to take care of this.

Yeah, take care of this while simultaneously keeping Jareth from arranging my funeral services.

Ignoring the pain, I knelt down in front of him and patted his knees.

"Jareth, my sexy beast," I said in as kind a voice as I could muster, "I'm okay, this isn't a big deal, and you did not do this to me. But," I waited until he looked at me in the face, before I continued, "I could use your help. Think you can help me out, a bit?"

His brow was still furrowed, but at least he wasn't mourning me anymore. He took my hands, gently, "Yes, Wren, in any way I can – please, tell me what can help!"

I reached out and patted his face, "Do you have some kind of…" I thought hard, "Salve?"

* * *

With some careful talking, I managed to explain what I needed. I needed something I could slather anywhere on my body that would not irritate the skin, that would help heal a burn. It couldn't have dye in it, or scent, or anything else that would hurt. Just… some thing, preferably a cream of some kind, that I could rub on the burn, to lessen it and numb the pain.

Jareth, it seemed, was ready to do anything, and almost seemed deflated when all I asked for was burn cream. In his eyes, it seemed that it was impossible that something so wicked as a sunburn could be healed by mere cream. I assured him, many times over, that yes, it could.

But, I suppose to make himself feel better, he went the extra mile for me on this. Rather than procuring me a tube or jar of cream, he found some gentle-yet-potent healing cream and filled my bathtub with it.

While probably not needed, I had to admit, soaking in that white healing cream was absolutely _heaven_. I ignored my growling stomach's protest for food while I soaked. I needed the ability to move about more than I needed to eat.

And yet… Jareth to the rescue again.

"Wren?" called a nervous and highly hesitant voice from the entrance to the bathroom that was attached to my room.

My hair I had pinned up on the top of my head, and so at his voice, I sunk deeper into the cream, all the way up to my chin. "Yes?" I called.

"Erm…" his boots tentatively sounded against the stone floor as he entered the bathroom. As he did, I could see why he was so hesitant. One hand was balancing a new tray of breakfast, the other was over his eyes. "I thought you… forgive me, but… I thought you might…"

I looked at the cream. It was white, as white and thick as paint. If I stayed up to my neck, he couldn't see me in the tub. "Before you trip and fall in to join me, GK, please open your eyes. I'm… covered."

He opened his eyes, his face almost as red as mine had been when I'd woken up (though now my face was all white, with cream smeared on it), but he still wouldn't look directly at me.

Okay, that, I admit, was a very, VERY, weird feeling. Jareth in the bathroom with me. I fully understood, at that moment, how he must have felt when I'd walked in on him in the bubble-bath.

"I thought you might be hungry," he said in a small voice, conjuring a table right next to the tub, on which to set the tray.

Mmm. It was sausage and red toast. I was, I realized, starving.

"Yes, thank you," I said. He promptly set the tray down and moved to leave, "What, you not going to eat, too?"

He kept his back to me. "It wouldn't be proper."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm covered from neck to toe in this stuff, Jareth, and that includes my hands. I can't exactly eat without ingesting cream. Besides, I saw _you_ in the bath. This cream is thicker than bubbles. Won't you at least… I don't know, poof me a fork, or something?"

He turned to me, still not looking directly at me, and gave me a faint smile, "If you insist, my Wren."

He came and sat on the floor, beside the table, his back to the tub. "Do not," he said, in a mockingly stern voice, "Drip that into my hair, if you please." And with that, he reached up, placed a fork on the tray with which I could eat, and snagged a square of red toast for himself.

Feeling feisty, I reached out for the fork, flinging a glob of cream out towards him as I did so. The glob went farther than I figured it would, and landed right on the toe of his shiny boot. I couldn't see his face, but his posture shifted, and I could tell he was regarding the glob in a highly indignant fashion.

I crunched on a speared piece of toast, and snickered, "Whatever you say, GK."

* * *

Later on that day, after a good long soaking in cream, I padded my way out of my chambers and headed to find Jareth – he'd left me to myself after breakfast, and said I could join him later. I wasn't sure what he had in mind – part of me wondered if I'd ruined his plans for the day. I promised myself I'd ask him about that, later.

That cream was highly impressive. Magic is so awesome. I was still a little sore, but the redness had nearly vanished, with the exception of residual coloration on my cheeks, chin, and ears. How it was that the rest of the redness had all but cleared up was completely beyond me. Not that I was complaining.

Still, I felt a little stiff, all over, and I had the sneaky suspicion that my body had taken on a pound or two of cream. It was possible. I wore loose pants, a loose fitting shirt and slippers as I headed out to find the GK.

I found him, being the Goblin King, handling situations in his throne room. He was on the throne, listening to denizens of the Labyrinth, who had come to complain about various things. He sat, looking greatly aloof, on his throne as he listened to various issues. The throne room was filled with creatures and being of every shape and size, most waiting to speak with the King.

At present, Jareth was listening to a creature that looked akin to something like the creature from the Black Lagoon. It gurgled at him, and he considered, before nodding, muttering something in response and shooing the creature away. Next in line was a disgruntled looking dwarf, who had some kind of mechanical contraption in his hands, and was demanding it to be fixed. Or improved. Wasn't all that sure.

"…ye ain't happy with em', and so I needs somethin' that'll work better…" the dwarf was saying, showing Jareth certain parts on the contraption I didn't recognize.

But, at that moment, Jareth turned and spotted me, suddenly breaking his cold visage and smiling. "Wren!" he stood, interrupting the dwarf, and striding to greet me. Every eye in the place turned to me. Had my face not already been red, it would have gone so.

He approached me and took my hands, squeezing them gently. "Are you feeling better?" he asked, quietly.

I glanced nervously around the room, "Yes, much better. How do I look? Still a lobster?"

He smiled, softly, "You look much healthier, dearling," he motioned with his head towards the throne, where the indignant dwarf stood, tapping his foot, waiting for Jareth to return, "I hope you do not mind, I was attending to certain things,"

I shook my head, "No, I don't mind. I'm still stiff, anyhow. Mind if I watch hang around and watch?"

"I would be honored," he said, flicking out a crystal to a wall, off to the side of his throne. The crystal popped and a small, cushioned chair appeared there. "Please, have a seat."

I made my way over to the chair and plopped into it, watching as Jareth resumed the conversation with the dwarf, who I couldn't help but notice gave me a nasty look before he resumed detailing his request for a better contraption.

It was an argumentative match with that one, until Jareth finally snatched the contraption from the dwarf and threatened him with the bog. Their voices lowered, and, after a bit, I saw Jareth swish a crystal over the device and handed it back to the dwarf, who stomped from the hall, sending me one final look over his shoulder just as he left.

Jareth muttered something about gratitude then, just as a small contingent of goblins made their way to the throne to ask something about a pig they had brought with them.

It was then that an odd feeling swept over the room, and everyone stopped, as if listening. I looked around, frantically, trying to figure out what was going on. I started to ask Jareth, but he held up a hand to me, for silence.

Then, in hurried delight, everyone began to hurry out of the hall.

Confused, I looked at Jareth, "GK," I said, "What's going on?"

He rose from his throne, looking more like the Goblin King than I had seen him look in a very long time, and said, in a very serious voice that I had never heard him use before.

"Someone has been wished away."

* * *

**A/N: dun dun dun! I was very pleased with this chapter, and I sure hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did, when writing it. Think I can get the next chapter out, in... oh, I don't know... two days? Being as how my goal is November, I may have to forgo waiting for reviews... unless you all review EXTRA quickly... kidding! **

**But, do review! I swear, your reviews make me go faster!**

**So, what will happen next??? We shall see! **

**Much love,**

**Marti**


	24. Part 4 of Wren's Vacation Underground

**Disclaimer: The only thing! own is Wren and the plot... so, yeah. Blarg. **

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**DanikaLareyna: Yes, as a matter of fact, I AM happy! And you KNOW you loved that line!**

**Yami Moon: I'm hoping to get the next chapter up, pronto!**

**Anij: I thought it would be all fluffy, too.., but... Newton... gab! This 'vacation' is overrun with PLOT!!!**

**Sammi C.: YIKES! No... something tells me GK wouldn't do that.., not even an EVIL GK would do THAT! DOUBLE YIKES!**

**Notwritten: Thank you!!! Seriously,you have no idea how much I look forward to your reviews! Three sentences, and I'm squealing as if! just got a personal call on my cell phone from David Bowie, or something!**

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****Music:**

**Black Horse and the Cherry Tree by KT Tunstall — just perfect imagery for this chapter, I think.**

**Breaking Glass by David Bowie — This SO cracks me up.**

**With You in Your Dreams by Hanson — very nice for the end of this... sorta.**

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**I hope everyone is enjoying all this plot-whatever you'd call it... are we half way through the vacation, yet? I think so... Things are about to get interesting...**

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**Wren's Vacation, end of Day four and into Day five**

_Right back to where we left off..._

I looked at him, shocked. "What do you mean? Someone... someone wished a child away?"

Jareth. shrugged, "You, of all people, Wren, know that it is not always a child that is wished away," he looked away from me, as if listening to something faintly, "I have yet to find out what has been wished away, and what the condition of this shall be. We..." he trailed off, indefinitely.

I frowned at him, with concern, "We, what? What's going on?"

He closed his eyes and shook his head, "It is a child," he said, solemnly, "But… we have to wait. My goblins cannot retrieve the child, yet, and I, therefore, cannot appear. That means there is some time..."

I got up and moved to stand right in front of him, "Time for what? I don't want to be a jerk right now, but please keep me informed here, Jareth."

He turned to me, looking almost grave, "Wren, you know how things work when one runs the Labyrinth. It is different for each person who runs it. Most everything changes, depending on the expectations and needs of the runner. I have to play the part they expect, as does my kingdom."

I cocked my head to the side, "So why the confusion when I ran? You seemed to not know what to do with me."

A brief smile crossed his face, "Because you. Wren, expected the truth of me, and needed positive reassurance and communication with a male figure, myself," his smile faded, replaced by seriousness, "But, in most cases, everything here changes to accommodate the expectations placed on it."

"Changes? How?"

He shook his head, "That depends. Usually, it is in small ways, but it can be drastic. The lone place that does not change, is my study, for whatever reason you can imagine," he sighed and turned to me, "Wren, I do not know when the goblins will be able to retrieve the child, or when I will be able to go Above and learn what expectations this youth has for the Underground. For your safety, will you remain in my study until I return?"

I nodded. "Sure thing, GK. I'll head there, pronto, just..." I sighed, "Just let me know everything is okay, or something, alright?"

He nodded., "Thank you, Wren, and I will. Lunch will be waiting for you, in my study. I trust you can find your way?"

I nodded and left him. As I walked through the castle halls, it all seemed so strange... I hadn't thought much about how much work went into being Goblin King. It was sure to be stressful. How had he done it for so long, all on his own? I couldn't imagine that feeling anymore than I could imagine being without my siblings.

I made my way to Jareth's study, boarded myself inside, and waited.

* * *

Waiting is, I believe, one of my least favorite things to do. 

I ate lunch in Jareth's study (there had been a tray there, with meats, breads, cheese, and water for me) then amused myself by finding a spare scrap of paper – or was it parchment? It seemed like a cross between the two – and doodling on it with Jareth's quill and ink. Not easy, but I thought it was funny, all the same.

Nothing.

After that, I found a book on a shelf and started reading. It was regarding Labyrinthine Biology and plant life. I think. Not all of it was written in a form of English that I could read, Still it was a very thick book, and I was truly fascinated by it, and so I lost myself in it. I must have been reading for a very long time, because the tray for lunch refilled itself, when I wasn't looking, with dinner.

Still nothing.

After I'd eaten dinner and amused myself with another scrap of parchment, I tried to read another book from a shelf in Jareth's study. I tried… but I was getting tired. I made myself comfortable on Jareth's couch, and closed my eyes…

* * *

It was very early in the morning when the shakes began. At first I just thought I'd fallen off the couch on my own. I jumped up and, looked at the clock that hung on the far wall of the study. It was nearly five am, Underground time. I shook my head, looked around, and started to scold myself for being so silly in rolling off the stupid couch. 

Then everything, the castle walls, the floor, everything, began, to shake as though there was an earthquake.

I screamed in fear — I had never been in an earthquake before — and scrambled to hide beneath Jareth's desk. In less than five minutes, the tremors ceased and everything was quiet.

Until I heard a baby cry, somewhere far within the depths of the castle.

I began to breathe a little heavier than usual. A child really had been wished, away! That was… horrible! And Jareth had to deal with it! Speaking of Jareth, I thought, if the child was here, then he must be speaking with whoever had wished away the kid, right then. I just stayed where I was, and waited some more.

Perhaps it was an hour later, near six am, that I felt Jareth poof into the room. I had remained under the desk, but had dozed off, until his presence had stirred my consciousness.

Well, even if I hadn't felt him, the shattering of crystals would have woken me.

I shot out from beneath the desk, just in time to see him throw another crystal across the room and shatter it on a shelf. We locked eyes, momentarily, and he sunk down to sit on the couch, his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands.

Without a second thought, I went and sat down next to him, wrapping my arms around him and pulling him into a hug. He didn't protest, but instead buried his face in my shoulder.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, softly, after giving him a few minutes of silence.

He sighed, "A young man, in his very late teens, and his younger sister. Kevin and Molly."

I nodded, "Okay, so he's wished her away…"

"He is far too old to have made such a wish for his sister," Jareth said, bitterly.

I pulled back and looked at Jareth, "Why do you think he did it?"

Jareth closed his eyes and, shook his head, sadly, "He… he is highly conceited, and has a highly distorted view of women, Wren. The…" he hung his head, "The babe is barely three months old. He was tired of her, and the attention she received."

I gritted my teeth, "But he is going to run, to get her back, right?"

Jareth nodded, "Yes. Whether or not he truly wishes to have her back is irrelevant. I believe he is running because he fears repercussions from his parents, as I explained that I will not erase her memory from those who knew of her in any way. Yet… this child shall be returned home regardless of whether he wins or not, Should he win, he shall appreciate her, and should he lose and still find her at home... I can only hope his relief shall grow into some sort of appreciation for her."

I swallowed, thinking briefly about my eldest brother, Gideon.

Jareth stood and began pacing the room.

"As terrible as that seems, it is only the tip of the iceberg," he fumed, "This one is nearly an adult, has the belief that this Labyrinth is darker than it truly is, sees me as a completely monstrous villain! And…" he stopped his pacing and looked at me, seeming to be at a complete loss, "He needs female interaction, to deal with the way in which he views women. I am not going to enjoy this run."

"You've said that twice now," I pointed out, "That he has a bad view of women. Can you be more specific?"

Jareth didn't answer me. Instead, he looked away, as though afraid to tell me the specifics I was asking for. I nodded. Some things, with Jareth, didn't need to be said. His boy didn't like average/normal girls, just _pretty_ ones. In other words, I wouldn't be this guy's type. But, as I thought about it, something occurred to me.

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Wait… you can't be the female interaction, Jareth, so what are you planning to do?"

He flopped down beside me again, slouching greatly, "I shall have to… make do."

I frowned at him, "Make do with _what_? Jareth, you can't be a woman!"

He mumbled something, I couldn't hear.

A small smile tugged at my mouth, "What was that, GK?"

"I said I have done it before," he growled.

I started to laugh at that, but stopped myself. Jareth wasn't joking. Dear me. And this was his job… his _job_!

My thoughts swirled with possibilities, Absently, I looked down at my ring, Then I turned to Jareth.

"Put me in."

Jareth looked up, startled.

"No," he said, almost reflexively, "I will not force you into that position."

I sat up straighter and squared my shoulders. I could do this. I may not like it, but I wasn't going to let Jareth face this challenge alone. "Since when have you forced me to do anything?" I asked, defiantly, "I'm _volunteering_."

He shook his head, "No, Wren. I cannot ask that of you."

I snorted, "Are you thick headed? I didn't say you were _asking_ me, I said I was _volunteering_. Send me in as a... distraction, helper, whatever you need. I'll do it."

"No, no, no!" Jareth stood and marched to his desk, leaning on it heavily, his long hair hanging around his face, "Wren... no. This boy... I do not want him near you, and…"

I stood, too, and moved to stand beside him, "Given his distorted view of women, I'm the perfect one to work with him. You'd be too dang pretty as a woman, so why not use me?"

His face flew up to stare into mine, first with a dash of mirth in his eyes, and then sadness. "He expects me to be evil, Wren. I am obligated to play that part. I do not wish…" he broke off, his eyes falling back to his desk, "I do not wish for you to see me in such a way."

Silence reigned in, the room for a while.

"Is Kevin in the Labyrinth, now?"

"No," Jareth replied, softly, "I am holding time for him, temporarily. I will allow him to begin his journey at first light."

I nodded. That didn't give us much time. I reached out, grabbed Jareth's chin and bent in to kiss him. I could feel the tension he was holding onto ease out of him as I did so. Not breaking the kiss, he moved and wrapped me in his arms. He pulled back and rested his forehead against mine with a sigh.

I looked at him. "I know you," I said, softly, "And I know what you do. Send me in, Jareth. I'll wear your ring to stay safe and I'll…"

I felt his forehead crease against mine, "Yes?"

"You will play a part, and so can I. Let Kevin run into me, and I'll agree to help him. I can tell him that I ran the Labyrinth and lost — which is true, and…" I grinned, "I can convince him that his sister is worth fighting for."

He looked directly into my eyes, "This is not a good idea, Wren," he warned me.

"Well, it's a better idea than you doing a Haley Mills in drag, so I say we go for it."

He smiled softly, warily. "Are you sure?"

I nodded at him, "Yes. Morning will be here, soon, so lets get started,"

* * *

**(Day Five)**

I knew Jareth said that Kevin was nearly an adult, but I wasn't quite prepared for him being _seventeen_. He HAD to be seventeen... that is, if he wasn't _eighteen_. He could have been, easily.

I agreed with Jareth, he really was too old to have made such, a wish.

I also wasn't quite prepared to see the changes that had taken place in the castle and the Labyrinth. Everything was… dark and menacing. The Labyrinth wasn't as bad as the castle, but… it wasn't the same glittery Labyrinth that I had ran, and it made me a little sad to see it in such a state.

I was huddled in an alcove in one of the walls. The sandstone walls in this area were covered with vines and the vines with thorns, so they hid me exceedingly well. Jareth had provided me with jeans that were patched and frayed, and a shirt that was slightly too big for me, and also worn. I'd roughly tied my hair back, and rubbed a little bit of dirt on my nose, trying not to upset my still slightly burnt skin. Luckily, my sunburn added to my disguise as someone that had been living a rough life in the Labyrinth for a long while.

So, all I had to do was wait. The alcove I sat in was near an enormous 'fork in the road', you might say, where Kevin would have to choose between five different paths to take. He should hesitate long enough for me to make an entrance.

I saw Kevin round the corner, shooing vines away from his arms. I don't know what had possessed him to think vines acted in such a manner, but most all the vines in the Labyrinth would now reach out and try to snag you. Unless, of course, you wore the king's ring, like I did.

I tried to keep an open mind about Kevin. I had to remind myself that I wasn't supposed to know anything about him. He was tall, with dark brown hair that was cut rather fashionably and was wearing stylish clothes, for a guy. He also had this seemingly permanent sneer on his lips, as though the entire place disgusted him. I frowned.

Sure enough, as he came through, a vine rose up to snag his sneaker. He landed flat on his face in a cloud of dirt. More vines shot out, sensing his weakness, and it wasn't long before he was tangled up in knots. He'd get out, for sure, but it would take him a few minutes. Well, I thought, here goes nothing.

I began laughing at him – but not with no ordinary laugh. Oh, no, I used the sweetest, prettiest laugh I had.

Amid his struggles to get free, his head shot up, looking around. "Who's there?" he called out, in what appeared to be an Australian accent. I didn't answer him, but merely laughed again.

"Please," he said, "I need... I need help!"

I snorted, "Yeah right. You're a big tough boy, you can get out if you try. Besides, you won't want my help."

He looked around frantically, "No, I need it! Please!"

"If you get my help," I said in a slightly sing-song voice, "You're stuck with me, boy. I don't think you want that. Besides," I let my voice get as sickeningly sweet as I could, "It took me _so_ long to find a decent hiding place where _he_ couldn't find, me. I'm not sure I want to give it up."

Kevin's eyes widened, "You mean, the Goblin King?"

"No, I meant Donald Duck — who do you THINK I meant?"

He turned his head back and forth, "Who are you? _What_ are you? You… you sound American, so you're human, aren't you?"

"Ding! Give the boy a cookie!" I paused, "I was American,"

He paused, "Was?"

I laughed some more, "I'm still human, if that's what you're wondering. It's just, you know, once you've lived someplace else for so long, you kinda become a resident, don't you?"

"Well," he looked around, trying to spot me, "I can't exactly see you, and so I'm not sure what you look like. Could you... come out?"

"No. I told you, I have a nice hiding spot, and I don't think I want to give it up. It took me a good long time to find this one, and, so far he hasn't found, me yet."

A light went off in Kevin's head. "You're a runner, like me, aren't you? We... we could help each other! We could work together to get to the castle! C'mon!"

"I _was_ a runner, back when I _was_ American." I dropped that subject and moved on, "Now, as for helping you, as I said, I don't think you want my help, I think," I said, turning my head to the side, though he couldn't see me yet, "That you want my help right now, because you're stuck, but you won't want my help once you're free."

He frowned, "You don't want to help me?"

I snorted again, "If that's what you think, you're stupider than I thought. I won't give up my good hiding spot for just a passing thing, you see, but I would be more than willing to help you. I know why you're here, to save someone, just like I had been, and I know better than most how frightening this place can be. I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

"Then," he looked confused, "Then why not just help me!"

I sighed, "Fine, I'll help you — but only to make sure you get the job done. I'm not doing this for you, but for whomever it is you wished away. Whoever it is, you don't deserve them."

Kevin's face looked mortified. "How can you say that?" he asked, softly.

"Because," I said as I stepped out from my alcove where he could finally see me, "You didn't once beg for my help, for the sake of whoever you wished away. You were only thinking about yourself, and getting out of those vines you're in."

Kevin's eyes roamed me up and down. I had to resist the urge to kick him, or something. With my 'sweet' voice, he hadn't been expecting to find someone like _me_. Instead, he'd been hoping to find himself an adorable and skinny nymph-like creature. He was noticeably disappointed in my appearance.

I smiled, "But you're stuck with me, now. So… let's get you out of those vines, shall we?"

He looked away, trying to hide his displeasure. Stupid kid. I used the opportunity to my advantage. I pulled on the vines and shook him around a little bit, mostly for show, but then touched Jareth's ring to them and, they fell away instantly. "Right as rain," I said, stepping back so he could get up.

"Thanks," he muttered, brushing his front off. I smiled at him and he looked down at his shoes. "Look... you're right. I don't deserve Molly. I don't deserve much, not even, your help, okay? You… you had better get back to hiding."

Oh, he was good. Self-deprecation to try and get out of keeping me around. Part of me wanted to laugh, and another part of me wanted to scream at him for being such a jerk.

I shook my head, sadly, "Sorry, kid, it's too late for that. He already knows I'm out,"

"You don't know that for sure…"

"Actually, young Kevin," growled a third voice from behind us, "She does. My Wren is not quite the fool you take her for,"

I screamed and threw myself backwards against the wall as Jareth approached us. He was frightening, I had to admit. He was taller than Kevin, and his eyes looked nearly black instead of his bright blue. His hair was long and untamed, and he wore an outfit of black with silver trim, I noticed that his eyebrows seemed slightly bushier, and he had dark circles under his eyes. He looked very menacing, indeed, and nothing like the kind GK I knew.

I had to remind myself that it was just a part. This wasn't my Jareth. This was an elaborate play, and we were both characters. Currently, I had to be afraid of him.

While Kevin's reaction wasn't as dramatic as mine, he still stepped back, his fear evident.

"Little Wren," Jareth drawled, slowly stalking in my direction while eyeing me up and down, "I did tell you that you could not hide forever," he chuckled, darkly, "My _little song bird_,"

I was shaking all over and whimpering as he approached me. He reached down and grabbed my chin, roughly. He didn't hurt me, but I cried out to make it seem as though he had. Even while keeping my trembling eyes on Jareth, I could see Kevin's eyes bug in fear.

Jareth – no, I shouldn't call him. Jareth, or the GK, he was the _Goblin King_ – bared his pointed teeth near my face and sneered, "Have you found yourself a _friend_?"

"N-no…" I sobbed, "Please… let me go!"

He threw his head back and laughed, a horribly vicious laugh, "When will you learn to stop making such pointless demands?" he drew even closer to my face and regarded me lasciviously.

"Please!" I cried, "You're hurting me!"

"Let her go!" Kevin shouted, but with barely any heart behind it.

Jareth stood to his full height, pulling me up with him. Again, he wasn't hurting me, but it appeared as if he was, and I screamed. The Goblin King faced Kevin, "Ah, yes, the current challenger. Let her go, you say? Well, only to be _polite_ for my guest," he threw me across the path, into the wall. The wall was cushioned for me, but I yelp and slumped down, looking dazed.

The Goblin King barked a laugh and turned back to Kevin. "Tell me Kevin," he said, circling the boy, slowly, "How are you enjoying my Labyrinth?"

Kevin was watching me, in fear. "It's… dark… scary..."

The Goblin King barked another laugh, "Aha! Well, I hope you are enjoying it as much as I am enjoying time with your dear sister,"

I gasped and looked fearfully at Jareth. Kevin looked at him in horror, "What have you done to Molly?" the boy demanded to know.

Jareth pulled an innocent face, "Nothing… yet. But, once you fail, I may do with her as I wish."

Kevin blanched, "She's just a baby!"

"Really? I had not noticed," he drawled, dully. Then he sighed, "But, I suppose I should get back to the castle," he said, "And make sure the goblins have not eaten her…"

He was about to round a corner, but at the last he stopped and turned back, "I am disappointed," he said, pouting, "You keep taking the easier paths, Kevin, and miss out on seeing some of the more exciting creatures that my Labyrinth has to offer. I think I shall rectify that," he withdrew a crystal and shattered it on the ground, laughing maniacally.

He vanished in a puff of black smoke, but the dirt and vines began to combine in the spot where the crystal had shattered, I knew, as Jareth had told me, that it would form into a kind of monster that would chase us until we were in the forest, which wasn't all that far ahead, if I led the way.

I staggered to my feet, and grabbed Kevin's hand, "Kevin!" I shouted, "Run!"

He nodded once and followed me though the maze.

* * *

I had been out of breath by the time we'd made it to the doors that led into the forest. At one point, while running, Kevin tripped. I hadn't realized it until ten feet or so later, and I'd run back to get him, while throwing several rocks at the monster to distract it. We took off again at a high run towards the doors that led into the forest. Once we had reached them – just in time – we shut the door behind us and blocked out the sand-vine monster from… eating us, or whatever. We dashed a ways into the forest and I collapsed on a low tree branch. Kevin was shaking from head to toe. 

Good, That boy needed a little fear in him.

"So," I panted, "Didn't… didn't get to introduce… myself," I exhaled, harshly. "I'm Wren."

He nodded towards me, weakly, "I'm Kevin."

I nodded back, "Nice… nice to meet you. And… your sister's name is Molly?"

At the mention of her name, Kevin sunk to the ground, near tears, "I… didn't realize... what would happen..."

"You mean, you didn't think the Goblin King could be so cruel, even to a baby?"

He nodded, hiding his face in his hands.

"No one does, Kevin. But, the point is you are here, and I'm here to help you, and we can get her back."

We sat in silence for awhile. Kevin finally looked up at me, "Wren?"

"Yes?"

"What are you doing here? You said you once ran… but, if you were the runner, why are _you_ still here?"

Oh, fun. I got to do some acting, now.

I turned my head away, and said in a quiet voice, "I made a hasty wish, a long time ago... or maybe it wasn't... it's hard to tell, sometimes..." I kept my head low, but turned back to face Kevin, "I ran the Labyrinth, and lost, Kevin. But… I'd been so close!" I sighed. "I haven't thought about it in a long time..."

He frowned at me. "How can you not think about it? You're here, all the time!"

I turned and sneered at him, "Yes, I am, thank you, for pointing that out to me,"

He hung his head, "Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude."

I sighed, "I ran and lost. I was close to winning, but by the time my thirteen hours were almost up, it was painfully obvious that I wouldn't quite win. He came to rub it in, and I offered him an alternative."

Kevin looked at me with round eyes, his mouth hanging open a little, "You didn't… you didn't offer to…"

I nodded, "To amuse the King? To stay? I couldn't guarantee that I'd win and he knew that. He made a new deal with me. My wish was reversed, as though it had never been spoken, in exchange for _me_. So, here I am," That was true enough, right?

"How…" Kevin seemed so shocked, "How could you do that? Give up your life?"

I shook my head and gave Kevin a look, "You don't quite get it, do you, Kevin? It wasn't about me. It was about the effects my selfish wish had on someone else. It wasn't a question if I could give up _my_ life as I knew it, but if I could go back to that life and live with the guilt that I had cursed someone _innocent_ to this world, to this life," I motioned to the forest around us, "And the answer was that I couldn't. Compared to the guilt, giving up my life was easy."

He just stared at me, for a long while, comprehending the meaning of my words. I prayed that they sunk in. He needed to understand that, big time. Finally, he broke the silence.

"Who did you wish away?"

I got to my feet and walked away. "Don't ask me, I don't want to think about it."

I smiled as I stood behind a tree. Things were going according to plan, and right on schedule. I had saved Kevin's life once, had given him a moral lesson, and now he was going to get the chance to save me. This was the part of the plan that Jareth had warned me would be the most frightening.

Fireys. I heaved a shuddering breath.

I walked to about three or four trees away, and waited. I tried to brace myself for them, because I'd not seen one before, but knew nothing could prepare me for them. Jareth had sent them, and had specifically told them not to harm me, or else he'd dip a limb from each of them in the bog, but I was still worried. I held out my hand, the one with Jareth's ring on it, and whispered out into the forest, "Hey… fire dudes, we're ready for you to make an appearance…"

Within a matter of seconds, two leapt out of nearby bushes, and one swung down from the tree above my head, I was shocked they could hide so well; they were colored so brightly! They were wild and gangly looking, like flammable monkeys that had just escaped from a horrible hair salon, but… their eyes were alight with a terrifying inner flame, and from time to time a ripple of that flame would rush across their skin. The one from the tree above me swung down right in my face.

"We hear ya, doll face," it said in a whisper, "And we ain't gonna hurt ya, just have a bit of fun!"

"Yeah!" agreed one on the ground.

"That's right!" said a third, as another emerged from a bush nearby.

I nodded, unable to speak.

The upside down, one winked at me, "So be sure to scream good and loud, so he can hear ya, okay?"

One jumped up, right then, and flashed fire filled eyes in my face.

My scream was very real.

Thankfully, Kevin came running – that was a good sign! When he saw them, he staggered backwards, in fear. They saw him, though, so he wouldn't escape.

"Let me go!" I screamed as one took a seat on my shoulders and two trapped my arms on each side of me, so I couldn't move. I shrieked as they started to pull a little – though, just like Jareth's man-handling, it didn't really hurt me – and Kevin suddenly jumped in the fray, pulling them off me.

"Get off her!" he yelled, flinging one away. But, three more came out of the bushes and advanced on Kevin.

"I think he wants to steal our snack!" one said.

"I think he wants her all for himself!" said another.

"I think we should eat them both!" said a third, to which they all cheered noises and began to chant a song about roasting us.

Kevin panicked, but he did manage to yank the head off one and threw it, knocking heads off two others. They began fumbling about, trying to sort out their heads. Kevin ran forward, grabbed me in his arms and yanked me from the ones that were holding me, taking half of their arms and legs with us. We threw the removable limbs back at them, knocking off a couple more heads, and causing general chaos.

I tripped, on purpose, as we tried to run away. Kevin stopped instantly and turned to grab me upward and we kept running. The fireys pursued us, of course, but weren't to catch us.

The rest of the day was spent in a similar nature. Getting out of the forest proved to be harder in Kevin's version of the Labyrinth, and we also had to fight off and run from several other creatures we stumbled into along the way.

It was afternoon by the time we cleared the forest and found a stone stairway that would lead us into the next portion of the Labyrinth. Unfortunately, the stairway was crumbly and looked dangerous. I wasn't all that thrilled about trying it, even though I knew, from what Jareth had told me that it would be fine to climb. Well, crawl. It looked a little too shoddy to be walking upright on, and it didn't have a guard rail, so I wouldn't be attempting it without being on my hands and knees.

But, when it came down to it, I only got halfway up the stairway. Kevin didn't think to have me go up the stairs first, and possibly make it to the top first. Instead, he plunged forward on them, and I followed. This made my path rockier, but I knew the plan, and knew that I'd be safe.

Jareth was waiting, or, rather, the Goblin King was waiting for Kevin at the top of the stairway. It was time for Kevin to face a dream in the ballroom, without me. Jareth wouldn't say quite what would happen in the ballroom for Kevin, and I decided that it was probably best if I didn't know.

Anyway, when Kevin was nearly to the top of the stairway, he vanished completely as the Goblin King laughed and threw a crystal at him. I kept going, and was near the top when a gloved hand reached out into my line of sight. I looked up and found Jareth, my Jareth, reaching out to help me up. I sighed, took his hand, and let him lift me up to the top. Instantly, he hugged me and gave me a solid, and comforting, kiss.

"Oh, it's good to see you," I said, feeling a little on the weary side.

His face looked worried. "Wren, are you doing alright? I cannot stay long, for I need to be in the ballroom to monitor Kevin, but... I needed to know if you are doing well."

I nodded, "I'm feeling a little tired, but I'm okay."

He pulled me close, resting his chin on my head, "And Kevin? Is he… improving?"

I shrugged, "I suppose. So far, he hasn't done anything obviously stupid, and he hasn't been the sexist pig I thought he would be, but then again, he hasn't had the opportunity to compare me with any other girls, so I don't know for sure. I think he is starting to truly regret wishing Molly here, though."

Jareth laughed, "He'll appreciate you more, Wren, after the ballroom, trust me. I refuse to subject you to that mess. But," he turned me and pointed down, a brick path way, "If you take that path, you will pass through the Bog of Eternal Stench and move onto the junkyard. Kevin will be there, looking for you."

I pulled a face, "I have to go through the bog?"

He gave me a sorry smile, "Afraid so, my dearling. I cannot do anything for the smell, but do not cross the bridge, instead, go past the tree near the bridge and continue on the stone path, this same path, and it will lead you to the junkyard, far quicker. That path leads you out of the smell faster."

I nodded and gave him a grateful squeeze. "And... did I hear you right when you said Kevin would be looking for _me_? That the heck is happening in that ballroom?"

Jareth shook his head, "You do not want to know. But, I need to get back," he kissed my head, "I shall see you when you reach the castle." And he vanished in a familiar puff of glitter. I sighed. You didn't know how nice glitter was until you didn't have it anymore.

I followed. Jareth's instructions and followed the brick pathway. Oh, that bog smells… gah! Oh, so bad! I won't even go into the smell. Just… yeah, no.

Anyhow, I did see the tree, and the bridge. I took the smallest of moments to look out across the bog. Despite the stench, it was a very interesting place to see. But, after a few seconds, the smell got to me, and I turned my back and went on my way.

True to his words, I reached the junkyard in no time at all. I sat and waited. I started to get sleepy, and closed my eyes for just a moment...

"Wren!" someone shouted my name. "Wren! Oh, man, where is she? Wren! Are you there?! Are you okay?"

I opened my eyes and sat up, looking around. I had to have dozed off. I realized that it was Kevin's voice I was hearing.

"Kevin?" I asked sleepily.

"Wren!" he appeared around a pile of junk and came running, falling down next to me, "Oh, Wren, are you okay? You're… you're not hurt, are you?"

I looked at him like like was crazy, or something. "I'm fine..." something really bad, possibly involving me, or an illusion of me, at least, had to have happened in that ballroom, "I'm okay, Kevin, I swear."

Without warning, he grabbed me, shaking, and hugged me tightly, "I'm so sorry!" he said, "Can you forgive me, Wren?"

I was so going to have to interrogate Jareth about what happened, later.

I pushed him back and looked him in the face, "As if it never happened. Now," I stood up and pulled him with me, "Let's go get Molly!"

* * *

Getting into the Goblin City was not very easy. The gate was locked and guarded by several armed goblins, We had to sneak in, actually climbing over the wall, using a large pile of junk from the junkyard that was piled up near the wall. This, I tell you, wasn't easy to do because the junk was not stable and the wall had large spikes on it. Luckily, the spikes were large enough for us to slip our feet in between and we were able to get around them without being impaled. 

And, on the up side of things, Kevin helped me up the pile, and jumped down on the other side, first, so he could help to catch me. He was making vast improvements.

We dashed through the city like there was no tomorrow, opting to sacrifice stealth for speed. At one point, we turned a corner and knocked down a dwarf (I hollered that we were sorry over my shoulder) and then, two turns later, Kevin and I ran full force into a large hairy beast of some kind. It growled at us, we each shouted and took off running again. Not long after that, we heard someone shout a charge after us, but we didn't really find many people standing in our way so we easily outran any kind of pursuit.

We did, however, manage to make our way through a somewhat vicious group of guards that were posted at the doors into the castle. I'm not sure how it was possible (this was, after all, spurred from Kevin's imagination and his expectations on the Labyrinth) but we managed to shut and bar the large doors into the castle, keeping the goblins out.

Kevin looked at me, "Where now?"

I shrugged, "No idea, This castle is new territory, for me," And it was, really,

"Um," Kevin looked around, suddenly deciding on a direction, "This way!"

I knew that no matter which direction Kevin took, it would lead him to the throne room, and subsequently, the Escher room. I followed him to that point.

"There," I said, "That's where he'll have gone, with Molly. Go on, now you have to face him."

Kevin nodded and started to run up the stairs that led to the Escher room, but surprised me and turned back.

"Wren," he said, "Come with me."

My eyes went huge, "Excuse me?"

He reached out and took my hand, "Come with me," he repeated, "I've already made it to the castle, I've solved the Labyrinth, but… none of that would have been without you. Come with me... you can come back, with Molly and me, have a new life."

Um, that was NOT part of the plan.

I shook my head, "This is as far as I go, Kevin. You go on, save Molly, before you run out of time!"

He shook his head, "I won't leave you, Wren! You're too good for this place, too good to hide from the King for the rest of your days! Come back with me, please! You mentioned guilt, back in the forest…" he sighed, "I couldn't live with the guilt of leaving you here, to this fate, I won't let you suffer anymore."

Aw! I was so flattered! I gave him a kind smile, and reached up and patted his cheek.

"Kevin, I can't, I have a separate deal with the King, that doesn't involve you. That's my lot, and I'm okay. I'm happy to be here, to help others, like you. Go on, now, and save your sister,"

He frowned at me, "Wren… please... I can't…"

I felt a kind of pull, mainly through the ring I wore on my hand. I can't quite explain what it felt like, but, it had to do with the Labyrinth, and Jareth, and Kevin's expectations. Crap! But, too late, now. I was a player in this, and I had to follow the rules.

"Yes, you can, Kevin," I said, softly, looking into his face, "Because I can't go with you, you know that. I want you to go on from here, Kevin, and don't forget what you learned. Take care of Molly, and don't ever judge someone, especially a woman, by their outward appearance."

"But," he started to protest, "How will you get back?"

I shook my head, "I'll be fine, don't worry about me. Go on. This is how it has to be."

Kevin looked at me, sadly. I couldn't move. The pull I'd felt was too strong. I knew what Jareth meant about obligations.

Kevin leaned in, slowly, dramatically, and gave me a soft kiss on my lips. I let him, I had to. When he pulled back, he asked one more time, "Please come with me?"

I smiled at him, "I'm too old for you," I said, kindly. "Now go."

And, finally, he left. I still stood there, for about five more minutes, before a great shaking and rumbling went through the castle. It was finally over.

* * *

The earthquake lasted a while, and was quite violent from my view of things, in the throne room. I actually ran into the Escher room (crazy, right?) where the gravity offered more protection against all the shakes. As soon as they stopped, though, I was out of there. I am NOT a fan of that room. 

I smiled, seeing the castle I knew and was familiar with. I felt oddly giddy. I ran to the window and looked out over the city — it, too, was back to normal with smiling and happy goblins. It was so nice to have everything back.

And then I wanted nothing more to see Jareth. My Jareth-sense suggested he'd be in his study. I ignored my exhaustion and tore through the castle.

I burst through the doors, smiling like a loon (so sue me! I was happy to have helped someone through, and been a big part of it!), but caught Jareth sitting on top of his desk, looking not only exhausted, but irritated.

My smile died.

He looked a little thinner than usual, and actually had a couple of faint darks circles under his bright blue eyes, but, besides that, was back to normal. Yet, instead of the smile I expected to see, he was glaring at me.

"What?" I asked, completely at a loss.

He folded his arms across his chest, "Was that really necessary?"

"Oh," I looked up at the doors I'd just burst through,, "Sorry... I was just really excited... didn't mean to barge in here..."

"Not the _doors_!" he growled, "The _kiss_, Wren! You kissed him!"

My mouth fell open and I looked at Jareth in shock, "I beg your pardon?!"

His mouth pressed into a thin line, and he looked away, "Were you hoping I would not find out?"

I pointed my finger at him, "You stop that right now!" I demanded. I held up my ring for him to see, "I was obligated to let him kiss me! I wasn't about to kiss him, I don't like him, and he's just a boy! I had to let him kiss me! I was _obligated_ to play the part!"

Jareth's anger faded to a pout. "I knew this was a bad idea."

I marched over to him and grabbed the sides of his face, pulling it to within an inch of mine, "I had a great time helping out in this game, GK. I am not going to let you ruin it for me, by being a stubborn, stupid… eh… _Fae_. I didn't mind that you threw me around, or that you obviously used an illusion of me in that ball, room, so don't you dare get all bent out of shape that I let that young guy have a kiss! Just a kiss! Nothing special about it!"

He was still frowning at me, "You did not… like it… then?"

I rolled my eyes. "No, Jareth, I did not!" I sighed and put my forehead on his, looking right into his eyes, "Kevin kissed me, okay? He's a young man, barely an adult, if even that. And, now, after running thirteen hours in the Labyrinth, I'm very tired. Do you know why I'm here, now, and not to my rooms? Because I wanted to come and find you. You want to know why?"

He grinned at me, slyly, "Why?"

"Because I wanted a real kiss, from you, before I collapsed and slept for who knows how long."

There was a rumble in his throat, and he grabbed me up and gave me one of his fierce, possessively showy kisses. Hee! Those make me giggle and go so red! Well, redder than I already was, with my still pink-tinted skin.

I pulled back, looking at him closely, and getting a little worried. "Jareth, are you okay? You don't look so good."

He shrugged, "Some runners are more demanding than others. Kevin's idea of the Labyrinth was not easy to maintain, and little Molly was highly excitable."

An image of Jareth playing with a small baby made me grin. "You'll be okay, then?"

He sighed, "With rest, yes. Kevin and Molly have both been sent back to moments after I took them, and I am ready to… collapse…" He blinked, looking very sleepy.

And adorable.

I brushed his hair out of his eyes and gave him another soft kiss, "I'll let you go to sleep, then. I'm tired, too. Thank you, for putting me in. I feel…" I faltered, not knowing how to best explain what I wanted to say, "…like I was really, finally, a solid part of your life."

He was tired, but he beamed. "Thank you," he said, in reply, "For saving me from having to kiss Kevin."

I snorted with laughter.

"Now," he said, stifling a yawn, "I know you can find your way back to your rooms…"

I nodded and headed towards the door, "Yeah… see you… tomorrow, I guess…"

"Pleasant dreams, my Wren."

* * *

**Wren's Vacation, end of Day Six**

Wha? I… slept… I think I guzzled water like a mad woman before I went to sleep, and therefore had to have gotten up to go to the bathroom, but… I slept.

And I didn't wake up, until my sixth day underground was nearly over.

I did have nice dreams, though. About running with Jareth. Don't ask my why. I have no idea… and I was way too tired to analyze it.

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**A/N: Whoa! Man, that chapter almost killed me!!! DUDE!!! One more to go! Let's hope I can do it! Must… finish… before… November…!!!**

**Weird ending, I know, but that was basically day six. The end of day six will be needed to start off the next chapter, so… yeah, there you go.**

**And, as always, read and review. I can't stress how much your reviews keep me going!**


	25. Part 5 of Wren's Vacation Underground

**Disclaimer: The fact that this plot is killing me does not give you the right to steal anything that is not yours. Labyrinth and the GK do not belong to me, I'm just borrowing them, but Wren is mine, so… yeah, no stealing. **

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**Esplin4966V3: I'm glad you like it, and I will!**

**Kat: Oh, I know what you mean about college. Hooboy, I just got my Associates, and it was a mess! Stress, stress, stress! But, I'm so glad you liked this chapter! Seriously, it nearly killed me to get it out! Hee…**

**Notwritten: -sniff- Thank you, so much! I swear, you make me feel so special!!! **

**Yami Moon: Thank you! Don't you love that song? I just totally see this creepy kind of wilderness and a horse… oh, I love it. Let's see if I can do it!**

**DanikaLareyna: Ah, it will have to wait until after NaNoWriMo! But… I trust you won't let me forget until I write it, so I'll go ahead and say, yes, you'll see him, eventually. **

**Anij: I had SO many problems in uploading this chapter! Gah! I'll edit it, eventually, but… yeah, it's too big for me to think on that now. I'm so glad you liked it, though!**

**Contraltissimo: I assume that's when they smoke, also! Ahahahaa!! And, man, I'm glad you like this chapter! Especially my evil Jareth! It was so fun to write!**

**Opaaru Tsuki: Awesome! A new reviewer!!! Wow, I'm so thrilled you like it so much! Hey, sorry about the day being gone, but... –shrugs- some things can't be helped.**

**Sammi C.: Oh, man, this next chapter is overlapping into my November time! Ack! But, I will get it finished! I swear!**

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**Music recommendations:**

**_Rhythm of My Heart _by Rod Stewart – Aw. **

**_Suddenly I See_ by KT Tunstall – this song appeals to me, not sure why.**

**_Here Today, Gone Tomorrow_ (my version sung by Bowie) – not sure if this is a cover song or not, but the version of it I have is a live version sung by David Bowie, and I love it. **

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**A/N: Is this really the last chapter of Wren's vacation??? I can't believe I made it!!! **

**So, here's the deal. I know not many of you will like the sound of this, but from a writer's perspective, this is how it has to be. **

**I will be participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) which is all through November. What is NaNoWriMo, you all ask? Well, if you aren't familiar with it (because I wasn't… until Danika introduced it to me… so blame her for this! Muahahah!) it is where you write a story, basically from the seat of your pants; 50,000 words in one month – perhaps not a whole novel, but at least a good start. It breaks down to about 1700 words a day. **

**I am VERY nervous to attempt this, but also EXTREMELY excited to try! **

**That being said, my time will be elsewhere than on my fanfictions. I can't say that I won't update – who knows, right? – but I will be, most likely, working on that. So… see you all after November!**

**Now, onto the story!**

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**Wren's Vacation End of Day 6**:

Had it not been for the fact that my stomach was threatening to eat itself, I doubt that I would have woken up that day at all. That was a… Thursday? Yes, a Thursday. Time was so different in the Underground!

Running the Labyrinth again had seriously dehydrated me. I'd drank a little while running around with Kevin, and we'd found a few things to eat – none of which were poisoned, according to Kevin's ideas – but nothing major. Water had been my main concern. I kept waking up between bouts of strange dreams to drink more water. Then use the bathroom. Then drink some more. Then go to sleep for several more hours. It was an endless cycle, it seemed, until I woke up to get something to drink, and found that I was starving!

Seriously. My stomach growled and rumbled, painfully, and I decided it was time to get up and look around.

My first stop was to see what time it was… it looked to be about six in the evening! I blinked and took a few steps closer to the clock, just to make sure I was seeing things correctly. Yes, it was six. I'd been asleep for nearly twelve hours! Well, at least I didn't feel like I was going to collapse when I was walking.

I yawned and decided to take a bath. Yes, I hadn't taken one, and I was feeling… kinda dry and dusty. So, I popped into the bath for a good fifteen minutes. It would have been longer, but my stomach was complaining loudly. Rather than dressing up fancy for only a few hours, I decided to get back into a pair of comfy pajamas and wear my robe and some slippers.

My Eyeore pajamas were looking a little on the dusty side, so I opted to search the closet of things Jareth had prepared for me. There I found some emerald green silk-cottony pant things that looked like the ones I'd seen Jareth wear in the mornings, and also found a kind of robe shirt in jade that reminded me of Jareth's top, and so I put those on. I slipped on a pair of fuzzy slippers I found in the closet and wrapped myself up snugly in the purple robe I'd gotten on my first morning here. Feeling clean and awake, I headed out.

My first instinct was to see if Jareth was awake. Obviously he didn't come to wake me up, and I had the nagging suspicion that he was sleepier than I had been, so I went right to his chambers.

Outside the double doors, I found a small goblin – that _same_ goblin, the one who spoke to me – sitting cross-legged and playing with a small pile of sticks. From the looks of things, he was attempting to build a mini-stick tower, but they kept falling over. As they fell, he'd giggle and then he'd try again. It seemed highly amusing.

When he looked up and noticed I was there, he smiled at me. "Hiya, Lady," he said.

I squatted down and smiled at him, "Hi there. Whatcha doing?"

He puffed out his chest. "I's standin' guard!"

I nodded and gave him an impressed face, "Are you now? For the king?"

"Yes, Lady," he said, very officially. "King's sleepin', and he don't wanna be perturbed!"

I smiled, "Disturbed?"

The little goblin thought about that for a minute, "Yeah, that!"

I patted him on the head, "You're a good little guard, then. If I don't disturb him, can I slip in and make sure he's okay?"

He nodded, vigorously, "Yes! King's Lady can go see him, that's okay. The King tolds me, his Lady can come in, when she ain't sleepin' no more."

I smiled at him, "Thanks. Have fun with your sticks."

"Bye Lady!"

I slipped in through the doors, hoping I wouldn't wake Jareth. But, when I came through, I found him snoring, face down on his bed. From the looks of things, I wouldn't be able to wake him if I tried to.

I frowned as I approached the bed. Jareth had removed his shirt, and there was a cape tossed on the floor, but he was still wearing his gloves, breeches, and boots. He had fallen asleep basically still dressed. I shook my head and approached him.

No, no I was wrong. He'd gotten off one boot.

I sighed. My mind thought back to when Lachlan would fall asleep still dressed, when we were all younger. I remembered what my mother used to do… I smiled.

I rolled Jareth onto his back, on one side of the bed. Then I pulled back the covers on the empty side, as far as I could. Since he was on his back, I took the moment to remove his other boot and his gloves. His boot I yanked off without much thought, but I took extreme care when it came to his hands. I still wasn't sure of the significance of Jareth's gloves, but I knew they were important, and so I removed them carefully. When they were off, I stared at is hands for a bit, unable to resist running my fingers over them. I put the gloves and both boots against the foot of his bed, and looked at his breeches. I sighed again.

I rolled him onto the other side of the bed (this was not easy to do, because he was dead weight and limp) and managed to yank the top covers off the bed entirely. Getting Jareth on his back once more, I undid the belt he was wearing on the top of his breeches, and threw the bedcovers over him once more.

Then came the hardest part.

I uncovered Jareth's feet at the foot of the bed and took hold of his breeches from the bottoms of the legs, where they came to his ankles. I tugged on each one, trying to loosen them a little… it had to have been ten minutes of gentle tugging on those stupid leggings to get them off. I finally, after having gotten them most of the way off him, put all my weight into it and just pulled. I fell over on my rump and let out an 'oof', but smiled, triumphantly, holding his leggings. I piled them on his boots.

Then I took a moment to cover his feet back up and put his arms under the covers, tucking him in (and giggling furiously as I did so), before I left him, to go find something to eat. I'd never seen the kitchens in the castle before, but I was dying to have a turn of bringing Jareth a meal in bed.

* * *

I had to ask three goblins how to get to the kitchen. It wasn't easy. They didn't quite know what I meant. Oh, they understood food, but not where it was made. I finally asked a goblin that looked like it was slightly smarter, and he was able to point me in the right direction.

The kitchen was interesting place. From the looks of things, most all the cooking was done by magic, and it was used carefully, only by the smartest of goblins. They could speak better than most, understood me completely, and were as friendly as my little one that enjoyed following me and playing with sticks.

They knew right away who I was, and were more than happy to help me with my request for breakfast… dinner… whatever it was.

* * *

A good while later – was it an entire hour? Could have been, I'm not sure – I carefully made my way back to Jareth's chambers. The little goblin was still there, playing with sticks. On my way through the castle, I'd found a few more sticks, a couple that were relatively straight, and pocketed them. It was a balancing act to get them back out of my robe pocket as I returned with the tray of food, but I managed to do so without spilling or dropping anything.

"Here you go," I said, dropping them down to him as I passed. He squealed with delight and bounced up and down.

"Thank yous, Lady!" he said. Just before the door shut, I heard him say, quietly, "Lady nice." That made me smile.

I surveyed things carefully as I entered the room. It hadn't occurred to me until then that he might have kicked his covers off while sleeping, especially since I'd rolled him over a couple of times. I closed my eyes and squinted until I was certain that he was still covered. Jareth was now on his side, but otherwise where I left him. With a sigh of relief, I moved and sat the tray down on the bedside table that was between Jareth's bed and the windows.

I sat on the bed beside him, looking at him as he slept. It was evening now, and the sun had already set, but there were a few remaining dregs of light in the sky, enough for me to see his face. I think, more than anything else, it was his face that amazed me. I mean, he was amazing, period, but… when I looked at his face, with those eyebrows and that bone structure, it just… floored me. He was gorgeous. And he liked me. He was really the first man to ever show me affection and… it often threatened to blow me away. I reached out, touching his cheek with the back of my hand. He made a kind of snuffling noise and his face moved deeper into the pillow he was resting on. It smushed his face a little, and I grinned at the sight. I moved my hand and brushed his pale hair away from his face.

I shifted and leaned my head down on the pillow, too, so I could look at him straight on. Did I dare wake him? He did need to eat, I knew that… maybe he could go back to sleep after he ate, if he was still tired.

Hmm.

I reached up and shook his shoulder a little. He didn't move. I frowned, but shook him a little harder. He snorted and shifted, but didn't wake. I giggled and whispered, "Jareth? Jareth? GK?"

Still nothing.

"Alright, sleeping beauty," I whispered, "Time to wake up…" I drew close to him, close to his face and gave him a small kiss. That stirred him. He opened his eyes, blearily and smiled at me.

"Ah…" he said, "Wren…" his smile faded and his eyes got wide. "Wren!" He shot straight up in bed and looked at me. Then he shifted a little, his eyes got wider, and he grabbed the covers quickly and pulled them up to his neck. "Wren!" he hissed again. "What is going on? _Where are my pants_?!"

"Whoa! GK, calm down!" I held up my hands, quickly, "You fell asleep dressed, Jareth!"

"No, I did not!" he protested, but I could tell that he was thinking about it and trying to remember.

"Jareth," I said, calmly, "I came in to wake you, and you were face down on the bed, still basically dressed! All you got off you was your shirt and one boot! You did not look comfortable!"

I hadn't thought it was possible for his eyes to get any larger. I was wrong. They went one step larger and he pulled the covers up to his nose, "_WHAT DID YOU DO_?!"

I snorted and covered my mouth with my hands, "I covered you up, then pulled them off from the foot of the bed. What do you think I did, Jareth? Strip you completely? What to you take me for?"

"But…" he looked around, still a little confused, "I do not understand… why are you here?" he asked, blinking his eyes. I could tell he was still tired.

I shrugged, "I only woke up because I was hungry. I thought you might be the same."

He didn't say anything, but I got up and looked around the room. "Where do you keep your pajamas?" I asked.

Still trying to wake up, I supposed, he nodded towards a large wardrobe in the corner. I found in there his customary shiny blue bottoms and white top and brought them to him. "Would you like to put something on?"

He nodded and took them from me. I started to say that I would turn my back, or step out or something, but Jareth quickly wrapped himself up, from head to foot, in his blanket and went into the bathroom, his pajamas tucked under his arm. I snickered briefly and decided to go sit in the alcove near his fireplace. I took the breakfast tray with me and sat to wait.

I didn't hear anything from the bathroom, but after about fifteen minutes he came out dressed and looking clean (his hair was damp, so I assumed he'd bathed, as I had) carrying his blanket. He went and replaced it on his bed before coming and joining me by the fire.

He gave me an impressed look that held a bit of mischief, "I see you were able to make it past my guard I had stationed at the door,"

"You mean Pip?" I giggled, "Oh, he's very loyal to you, Jareth, but you see, he's also very fond of me, too. When I'm around, you don't kick them as much, apparently. I don't know his real name, but Pip seems fitting. He'd make a very good traveling companion, I think."

Jareth smiled, "His name is Squyshee, if you must know."

I pulled a face, "Squyshee? Seriously?"

"Is there something wrong with that?"

"No," I said quickly, "Just… yeah, not what I was expecting."

Jareth eyed the tray, "What were you expecting?"

"I don't know, probably something I couldn't pronounce. Something very goblin-esque."

Jareth shrugged, "Oh, he has one of those names, I am certain. They all do. But I am afraid that I cannot pronounce them anymore than you could. So, this one, because of his devout loyalty, I unofficially dubbed him Squyshee. All the unpronounceable names sound too much alike. Now," he looked meaningfully at the tray, "You seem to have also found my kitchens. What have we here?"

"Breakfast!" I said proudly, "And yes, I did find the kitchens. Very nice. Just… food. I guess it's much what you've been bringing me, every morning."

He popped an egg in his mouth, "It is perfect. Thank you, Wren."

You can deduct three things when a meal is being eaten in silence. Either the people are hungry, the food is really good, or they are really tired. In this case, it was all three. We ate in silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable silence.

Not until Jareth brought up the party.

"Wren, have you tried on any of the other ball gowns or dresses in your closet?" he asked, suddenly.

I started to choke on some toast, "GAH! – AH, um…" I sipped some water, "Um… what?"

He smiled, mischievously, "Your dresses. I believe there are several in there. I thought perhaps you would have tried them on. Have you?"

"Uh, as a matter of fact, no I have not. Why the sudden interest in fancy dresses?"

Jareth shrugged, "For your assistance with Kevin, I would like to make it up to you."

I raised an eyebrow at him, curiously, "It was no trouble, Jareth. It was actually fun for me, you don't have to do that… and what does that have to do with fancy dresses?"

He met my eyes. I could see his sincerity, but also a slight twinge of fear… yet I couldn't tell what he was fearful of.

"Myanya is hosting a celebration tomorrow evening, in honor of her brother, Tillan. I cannot refuse to attend, as I am close to both of them, and I would very much like you to accompany me."

My eyes lit up, "Whoa, an elven party? Sweet! Wait… Tillan won't mind me being there, will he?"

Jareth rolled his eyes, " No, of course not. Tillan is obsessed with anything regarding the Aboveground, if you recall. He would be thrilled to have you there."

Odd visions that spurred from the fan fictions I'd read ran through my head. I think Jareth was definitely right, I read too much fan fiction. "What kind of party? I mean, why is Myanya throwing it? What is the occasion?"

Jareth chewed lightly on some toast while thinking on how to explain it to me (I could see it in the look in his eyes), "Fae have extreme longevity. As such, it tends to be rather impractical to celebrate a 'birthday', as you call them, every year, once the individual has aged over one hundred years. As you know, Myanya and Tillan are half Elven. Elves, though, are more… prone to celebrate? I suppose that is what you would call it. While they do not celebrate every year, they still choose to celebrate every few years or so, because they enjoy it."

"So… it's Tillan's birthday?"

Jareth nodded, "Yes."

I cocked my head, "I don't have a gift…" Jareth laughed suddenly and nabbed up his water glass, drinking a lot of it to hide his laughter. I frowned at him, "What the heck is so funny?"

He coughed, "Well… we live so long, Wren, it is not necessary to bring gifts…"

I frowned deeper, "So you mock me?"

"No," he sobered and looked at me, "Let me finish. Tillan and Myanya are very dear to me, you know this. An invitation to the celebration does not require a gift, you see, but I do like to express my gratitude to him in some way. That is why I was hoping you would come with me."

I dropped the toast I was about to eat, and looked at Jareth incredulously, "You want me to be your GIFT to TILLAN???"

"Wren," he said slowly, "No. It would mean the world for you to come and meet him – any physical gift I could give him would be pointless. What need does he have for material items? None, I tell you. But, having you there, being so…" he trailed off momentarily, "Being so distinctly Aboveground-like… he would adore it."

I folded my arms. "If you think, mister, that I'll go in there and wave to everyone and say 'howdy' nice and loud, you've got another thing coming."

"But, you will come?"

My stern features softened, "I don't know why you worry so much – of course I'll go!"

* * *

**Wren's Vacation, Day Seven:**

After eating with Jareth, we both fell asleep in the alcove, thanks to the warm fire. It wasn't until rays of sunlight were poking me in the eye that I realized it was morning. Jareth was still sleeping. I decided to let him sleep, and went back to my room.

I had already gotten a bath and was dressed for the day, as was Jareth, when he came in with breakfast – though it was getting a bit later in the day.

Breakfast was different this time – some kind of pastry thing that he assured me was much healthier than the 'pastries' we have aboveground.

As we ate, Jareth went over the different things I'd need to know about the party that evening. It didn't seem all that complicated. Because it was Tillan's party, and due to the fact that he had such a great obsession with the Aboveground, Jareth explained that I could pretty much be myself and be fine. All I needed to know, in this instance, was to just be polite and curtsey if anyone was introduced to me, or if they addressed me by name. I could do that, right?

The morning around the castle was pretty much quiet, with little goings on. Jareth had to go help resolve a dispute that had occurred in one of the corridors, when a couple of goblins had caused a bit of an argument with some other creatures of the Labyrinth that had come to see Jareth, and he left me to my own devices. I spent my time just wandering around the castle, enjoying myself. Then, at around three – was it three? Yeah, I think so – Jareth came to me and informed me that it was time to get ready. He handed me a crystal and instructed me to wash my hair and dry it with the crystal. I nodded and headed back to my rooms.

I did as he asked, washing my hair again and dried it by rubbing the crystal over my hair (it took me a bit to figure out what to do with the crystal in the first place, but I eventually got the hang of it and was pleased to see that it worked better than a hair dryer).

Once my hair was dry, there was a knock at the door. Jareth had said something along the lines that someone would come to help me with my hair, but I'd not heard him well because I was, at the time, still staring at the crystal and wondering how to use it. So you can imagine my surprise when I called out for whoever it was to come on in, only to see…

Jareth.

I snorted and looked at him. "Did I use the crystal wrong, or something?" I asked. "Did I cause something, somewhere, to explode?"

He frowned, "I did tell you I would come to help you, did I not?"

He… what? What was he going to do? Uh… there was something highly amusing and also highly disturbing to me as I thought about it… "You are going to help me… do my hair?"

"No, of course not!" he laughed, heading into my closet to retrieve a few dresses, "I'll be doing it for you."

What is a girl supposed to say to that? Your boyfriend tells you that he is going to do your hair. "Um… okay."

"Now," he said holding up two dresses, one in a sapphire blue and the other in bright ruby red, "Before we bother with your hair, which dress do you prefer?"

* * *

Before I knew it, I was sitting in a beautiful red dress with red lips painted on to match, at the dressing table, with Jareth behind me, crystal in hand, curling my hair and pinning it to my head.

"Do you realize how crazy this makes me feel?" I asked him.

He looked up at my reflection in the mirror, "Nonsense. I see nothing crazy about it."

"Oh, sure, you wouldn't. My boyfriend is doing my hair!"

He grinned as he magically pinned the final curl to my head, "Yes, and it looks fabulous. You have no reason to complain."

I examined my reflection. "Okay, so you do have a point there." It was part way up and part way down, curls pinned up to my hair and a few hanging down the back. Very pretty, and better than I could have ever done it, that was for sure. I turned to face him, "Now, what about you? What are you going to wear?"

He smiled, reaching up a hand and snapping his fingers. In a second, he was dressed in a very dashing, very formal, garnet colored suit with silver trim and a white silk shirt with a very ruffly collar. It was highly obvious that, while our colors didn't match exactly, they were similar.

"We're dressing as a couple now?" I asked, sarcastically, smiling.

"Well," he smirked down at me, "I don't want anyone to question who's date you are for the evening… I'm highly possessive, you know."

"Oh yeah, I forgot."

He reached out a hand to me, "Are you ready?"

No, I really wasn't, but I wouldn't be until I was back from the party. Nerves, you see. All the same, I gave him a brave smile and nodded.

I took his hand, and we were gone.

* * *

Entering the party was, by far, the most frightening. It was a HUGE party! Gosh! Who knew Myanya would invite so many people? It made the dinner we'd had earlier that week look like nothing at all! I wasn't sure where we were – Jareth had said something about Myanya and Dyer's estate, I think – but the room was enormous. We'd merely appeared outside two large doors, and then entered. Once inside, the music (which had been bright and earthy sounding) stopped and everyone looked our way. An Elf to the left of us called out in a loud voice, announcing us.

"PRESENTING HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, KING JARETH OF THE GOBLIN KINGDOM, AND LADY WREN NEILSON OF THE ABOVEGROUND!"

A murmur of interest went through the crowd. I blanched. Jareth nodded to everyone and I, feeling highly insecure, did a small curtsey – or as best of one as I could manage. Jareth led me down into the crowd of people, and I turned to him quietly, whispering, "Hey, how did that guy know my name, to introduce me?"

Jareth leaned in near my ear and whispered, "Magic, my dearling. That is what he does, a special spell devised long ago for parties as such – it keeps people honest, and Myanya will not have a celebration without such a person, lest someone sneak in and pretend to be someone else."

I looked at him, "Does that happen often?"

He laughed, "Centuries ago, it did. Now, only occasionally, but Myanya will have none of that nonsense…"

Jareth trailed off and looked up. I followed his gaze. Over on one side of the room was Myanya (I spotted her dark hair instantly), and beside her was a tall blonde with long golden hair. He was waving enthusiastically at Jareth, who nodded in return before turning to me.

"It appears," he said, "That our presence is requested by the guest of honor. Come," I held onto his arm as he led us across the room.

Myanya greeted us first, smiling and pausing to take each of us by the hands in greeting, "Jareth, my old friend," she said, pleasantly, "And you brought Wren! Oh, how lovely. Wren you look divine this evening, thank you for coming."

"Ah, I'm glad to come," I said kindly.

"Jareth!" The tall blonde, who was wearing a green suit with gold trim, approached with his arms open wide. He looked younger than Jareth (not that I thought Jareth looked old or anything) but had faint characteristics that reminded me of Myanya, despite the fact that he was so different in his physical colorations. Most distinctly, I could see his slightly pointed ears – this, I thought, had to be Tillan.

Dang, he reminded me of something… I thought hard for a split second… what did he remind me of… something… something… dear me. He looked like the physical manifestation of Link, from the Legend of Zelda. Only slightly beefier.

"Tillan!" Jareth said, embracing him warmly and slapping him on the back. "It has been far too long, has it not?"

Tillan released Jareth and grinned, "Yes, far, my friend. And," he turned to me, his eyes lighting like a kid on Christmas morning, "Is this your Wren that I have heard of? The mortal from the Aboveground?"

"Why, yes," Jareth said, giving me a small nudge.

I swallowed, but gave him a bright smile, anyway. I reached out my hand to Tillan, "I'm Wren," I said, brightly, "Sure is nice to meetcha, Tillan."

Dang, it was better than telling a joke. Tillan threw his head back and laughed, heartily, before taking my hand and shaking it, "Wren! It is very nice to meet you, as well. My dear sister," he motioned to Myanya, "Has spoke of you quite often of late, and I confess, I was hoping Jareth would ask you to come."

"A team of wild horses couldn't have kept me away," I said, grinning.

Tillan looked at Myanya and laughed again, "Mya, your words were true, she is a delight!" he came forward then and took my hands in his (sheesh, elves had no regard to personal space, did they?) "Wren, would you please honor me with your first dance of the evening?"

I blushed, probably as red as my dress, but looked up at Jareth, "Well, I'm not much of a dancer, just to warn you, but I believe you'd have to ask my date if that's okay, first."

"Ah," Tillan bowed his head, solemnly, "Of course. So," he looked at Jareth, "What say ye, Goblin King? Might I steal your Wren?"

Jareth frowned and raised an eyebrow at Tillan (the look in his eyes was playful, but also somewhat serious), "Never, my friend, I value her company far too much – but," his expression softened, "Should you wish to steal a dance from her, that I can allow. I am willing to relinquish rights to her first dance for the guest of honor, but still hold solid claim to her second – so treat her kindly and return her in one piece."

Tillan grinned merrily, as though this was one great joke, and nodded to Jareth, "She is in good hands. Wren, may I have this dance?"

I nodded, "Sure!"

* * *

Tillan, for all his niceness, was not quite the dancer that Jareth was. And, I'm afraid, he talked my ear off while we danced, wanting to know everything I could tell him about where I'm from and how I met Jareth (the story he'd already heard from Myanya, but was dying to hear it straight from me), and anything else he could think to ask me.

When the dance was over, he led me back, and I could see Jareth in close conversation with Myanya. She, for one, looked like she was ready to explode with happiness. I made a mental note to ask him what she was so happy about, later.

Once Tillan returned me to Jareth, Jareth swept me into his arms and back out onto the floor. Oh, yes, once again, I have to stress what an excellent dancer Jareth is. He swirled me around and made me feel like a princess – I love dancing with him. I'm not great… kinda stinky at it, but regardless of how bad I am, he knows how to make me feel like I'm good at it. No wonder he was King.

Several people stopped us, mid twirl (much to my irritation), to ask something about me. Apparently, an Abovegrounder who is being courted by the Goblin King is big. Not that they knew we were 'courting' per se, but… I was his date for the evening, and we were both wearing red. It was kind of implied.

One woman kind of worried me… she was dancing with a young elf but had to tap Jareth on the shoulder, anyway. Jareth, ever the polite one, turned to her.

"Oh, Jareth, darling, tell me," she said, her eyes wide as she looked at him, "Are the ducks in bloom in you Labyrinth this time of year?"

I looked at him, "You have blooming ducks?"

Without moving his lips much, he muttered, "That is ridiculous Maxine, pay her no mind," then he smiled at her, "Oh, Maxine, the ducks are flourishing! The quacking can be heard for miles!"

"Lovely," she smiled wistfully and danced off with the young elf.

I looked quizically at Jareth, "Okay, do I want to know what the heck that was about?"

He sighed and shook his head, "You would not believe me if I told you."

"You run with an odd crowd, GK."

He grinned, "You have no idea."

Jareth and I danced for a while longer, then went and visited more with Tillan and Myanya. Dyer was away, Myanya explained, on business, but expressed his greetings to the both of us, none the less. Jareth looked slightly uncomfortable at that news, but Myanya didn't press as to why. Part of me thinks she didn't press it because she knew what he was thinking.

Well, frankly, for that matter, I had that feeling about Myanya all the time. She had the most piercing gaze you could imagine. While speaking with her, lying or avoiding the whole truth was pointless. She just seemed to _know_.

Tillan, on the other hand, was quite polite and friendly, but he seemed to lack Myanya's knowledge and wisdom. Of course, perhaps that's what he wanted people to think. Any chance he got, he asked me questions about my home. When I told him I was one of six children, I think he almost fainted. Myanya, too, for that matter.

The party was nice, and several Fae and Elves came to pay their respects to Jareth, and to Tillan, and me (though I had the feeling that many of them came to gawk at me openly). One elf stared at me for a long time before giving Jareth a slight glare and leaving quietly. I couldn't see why, but Jareth explained that not all Fae or Elves could go Above. Jareth was one of the few who could, and so, there were bound to be some who were jealous of his "Aboveground girl" as he put it.

I was flattered, but told him he'd better watch it, or else he'd get a big head.

We were ones of the last to leave the party. We said our goodbyes – I gave Myanya one of her Elven farewells with the hands, like she'd given me at the dinner, and then also shook her hand, for fun. She was thrilled at both. Tillan seemed sad to see me leave, and pulled me aside.

"Hey," he said. "How's it goin'?"

I blinked. What did he say?

"Um… hey?"

He grinned, "Oh, wonderful! I've been working on that!"

I frowned, "On what?"

"Slang speak," he said, "It isn't easy, as you might guess. But, you understood me! Wonderful!"

I smiled, "Actually, Tillan, that _was_ really good. But, that's a greeting. You should work on a farewell."

He frowned. "I… hmm. What would you suggest?"

I thought on it for a bit. "How about… 'check ya later'?"

His eyes lit up, "Check… ya….later… is that right?"

I nodded, "Dead on."

"Wonderful!" he bounced on the balls of his feet, delightedly, "Check ya later!"

I snickered. Link-a-like or no, at least he was friendly, right? I had a huge feeling that the party was not the last time I'd see Tillan, especially after speaking with him so much.

That night, after Jareth had freed my hair from its magical confines, and after I had gotten out of that dress and into my pajamas, I fell asleep and had wonderful dreams… of waltzing elves and one very attractive waltzing Goblin King… Who, for whatever reason, was periodically wrapped up from nose to foot in a blanket.

* * *

**Wren's Vacation, Day Eight:**

My final, official day, a Saturday, was quiet. Very nice.

I'd had an excellent night's sleep, and was, once again, woken by a soft kiss. When I opened my eyes, Jareth was an inch away from my face, and grinning.

"Good morning," I muttered, sleepily.

"Good morning, my Wren," he said in return, "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes," I said as he backed up so I could sit. "Yes I did. This is the comfiest bed, you know."

"I'm glad you've liked it. Hungry?" he held out a tray of fruit and pastry. I smiled and helped myself to the fruit. Those orange grapes were too good to resist.

Jareth ate a little, but watched me a lot as I ate. "What?" I asked, feeling self conscious.

He grinned, "You look beautiful in the mornings."

"I – ah…" I went bright red. Unable to think of anything much to say, I threw a grape at him. "Shameless flirt!" I said.

"Always," he said, popping the grape in his mouth, "Wren?"

"Hmm?" I mumbled, while drinking some water.

"What would you like to do to day?"

I shrugged, "I… um…"

"What is it?" he prompted, sitting up and helping himself to a rounded pastry.

"Um," I wasn't sure how to ask this of him, "Would you… show me around?"

He looked at me, somewhat confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, just… walk with me. I'd love to go back to the Goblin City and just look around, but… I'd love it if you came with me."

A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Anything, for you, Wren."

* * *

That day, of all the day's Underground, was the best, ever. Jareth and I spent the entire day together, just walking around and looking at things, and talking and laughing. We talked about everything we could think of to talk about: Jareth's favorite colors, what would make the best Underground ice cream flavors, the best sounds for Aboveground car horns, and my early school days, among other things

It was nice. We stopped and ate lunch when noon came, then went back to talking and having fun.

We only stopped once more after that, before we headed back to the castle all together. We had passed by an afternoon goblin market. It was fun to walk by and see the different things that goblins liked to sell. Strange to me, but fun to see, all the same.

At long last Jareth turned us and we began to head back to the castle, as it was starting to get dark. I sighed. It was a nice, quiet day, with just he and I, and a very large part of me was sad that it was basically over.

As was my vacation.

How long? One week? Was that it? It had felt like so much more. I'd done so much, seen so much, and had such a wonderful time… was that really it? As we walked, I couldn't help but feel my eyes water. It was so nice here… did I really have to go back?? (as if I didn't know THAT answer.)

I sniffed.

Jareth stopped instantly and looked at me. I tried to shrug it away, like it was nothing, but the more I tried, the more I wanted to cry. He pulled me to his chest without saying a word, and I buried my face in his shirt.

"My little Wren," he whispered, rocking me back and forth, "I know you do not wish to return so soon,"

"How'd you know?" I mumbled against his chest, not looking up.

He gave me a squeeze, "As you said to me, a few days ago, I know you."

"It's… it's…" I sniffed again, "I really like it here." Okay, so a lame way to end what I was trying to say, but whatever.

One hand came up to stroke the back of my head, gently, "I am glad you do. And you shall enjoy it that much more when you return again."

"It still stinks to leave."

"That it does…" he trailed off and pulled back to look at me. With a kind smile, he brushed at the little dribbly tears that had gathered at the corners of my eyes. "Perhaps I can offer a small consolation to you, before you go?"

"What would that be?"

"Dinner."

* * *

I sat around a small table (well, it was the dining hall, but the table was smaller, more size-appropriate for two) with my eyes closed and my hands over my eyes. This was a surprise, he'd said. He'd given me one hour after we'd returned to the castle for me to 'freshen up' in my room, and then he'd returned and brought me here, looking very excited and forced me to promise I wouldn't look while he brought in our meal.

When at last I heard him re-enter the room, I called out, "Can I look yet?"

"No," he said, hurriedly, "Not yet!"

I giggled. But was obedient in keeping my eyes closed. The table rocked a little, and a couple of things made soft noises against the wood. Finally, Jareth cleared his throat.

"Alright," he said slowly.

I opened my eyes and saw before me… something odd. Jareth was seated across from me, his face shinning as he watched my reaction to what was before me. I had the feeling that there was some important piece of information I should notice… I allowed myself an impressed face while I inwardly tried to take in what I could and figure out the mystery that was in the air between us.

Between the two of us, there were five plates. Two in front of me, two in front of Jareth, and one in the middle of the table, I assumed that was for us to share. Of the two in front of me, one had a gorgeous piece of meat with some brown sauce over it and a green side garnish – it reminded me of salmon, though it wasn't that pinkish color. The second plate had a funny concoction on it that seemed highly out of place next to the fancy first plate. At best, it could be described as a lumpy burrito. And then, the third plate, which sat between us, had cookies on it. Lumpy cookies, but there was no arguing what they were.

I smiled at Jareth, using my smile to let me analyze him. He was smiling brightly, showing his pointed teeth. He had something, a swipe of white, across his nose.

It clicked. He'd made this. That's what I was supposed to know.

"Aw," I said, "You cooked, for me?"

He beamed, "You noticed!"

I snickered, "Well, these," I motioned to the food before me, "Aren't the traditional fare of your kitchen, I could see. So, you'll have to explain what we have here…"

He motioned to the fancy plate, "This is my favorite dish, steamed Vocklari with eel sauce. It is very difficult to prepare, so I confess that the kitchen staff assisted me with it."

"Oooh. Sounds good. What is Vocklari, by the way?"

"And this is," he said, smoothly avoiding my question, and motioning to the second plate, "An _Underground burrito_."

"I assume this is your own, um, creation, then?"

He shrugged, regally, "I do not cook, and was not certain of what all burritos Aboveground contain, but I managed this one and I believe it should be edible." At the last, his voice dropped to an almost embarrassed utterance, and so I ignored the Vocklari and focused on the burrito.

I lifted a knife and fork to it cutting out a bit (hiding my surprise at the odd looking insides of it) and brought it to my mouth. "This is wonderful, Jareth, thank you so much."

Um… okay, how sweet was that? He cooked for me, like I had cooked for him! I ate the dinner, smiling and talking to him lightly… the Vocklari was, in all appearance, a kind of fish, and eel sauce is really good (I've had an Aboveground version of that on sushi that's just fabulous). The dish was extremely tasty… but I saved it for last. Jareth's culinary creation that he was so proud of (and he seemed to like, very much) was… not so good.

And that's putting it politely.

But, I played the role of the doting girlfriend, and just didn't have the heart to tell him it was terrible. So, I polished my meal off with lots and lots of water, the Vocklari, and the lumpy cookies (which were really good too… I assumed because I'd shown him how to make them).

When dinner was over, Jareth walked me back to my room. Once there, I found my bag ready and packed in the middle of my room. I regarded it sadly.

"Jareth, this has been about the best vacation I've ever had," I said, softly, turning to him.

"Really?" he looked shocked, "Truly, Wren?"

I nodded, "Yes. And… you know I can't quite say in words how sad I am to leave."

"All good things must come to an end," he muttered, absently.

There was a silence between us, which I broke when I remembered his ring, "Oh," I pulled my hand up and removed the ring, replacing the space with my crystal ring. "Here, I don't want to forget to give this back to you,"

He took it from me, in his gloved fingers (it seemed he was only gloveless in the mornings… I think this is one of the reasons I was so sad…), and pocketed it. "Thank you…"

There was silence again.

"I guess I should get going. My parents will be expecting me to return, soon."

He nodded, that odd look in his eyes again, but didn't say anything. This time, I decided to ask about it.

I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around his waist, "What are you thinking about, Jareth? I've seen that look in your eyes a couple of times now, and… what are you thinking about?"

"You," he said, honestly.

"Me?"

He nodded, "Yes. I have been very happy this week, Wren, having you here with me. I was merely thinking…" he removed my arms from his waist and put them up on his shoulders and placing his own around my waist, "How glad I am that you wished yourself away that night…" he lowered his head and rested his forehead against mine, "And into my life."

My heart did a sudden wiggly dance, and it was a good thing he was holding me around the waist, because my legs went all wobbly at his words.

"Me… me too…" I muttered weakly.

He turned his head then, and kissed me solidly – and had to support me completely because I nearly went limp.

He pulled away and nuzzled my nose briefly, "I will see you in a few days, then?"

I nodded, unable to speak. He carefully sat me down on my legs and released me. I dreamily made my way over to my bag and took the handle. I pulled my hand up and was about to count my crystals, when his hand took mine and stopped me.

"Allow me," he said, softly. He conjured a crystal and held it out before me. Giving it a quick squeeze, it popped and sent a delicate spray of glitter in the air around me.

"Bye," I said as Jareth and the room around me vanished, and I found myself in the bus station.

I sighed as I retrieved my cell phone from my bag and turned it on for the first time in over a week. Amid all the people that looked tired and grumpy from long bus trips, I think I was the only one with a goofy grin on my face, and was surely the only one humming.

What a week.

* * *

**A/N: aaahhhhh!!! I finished it!!! Aaahhhh!!! –slumps to floor- at last!**

**Okay, now I'm off to work on my NaNoWriMo project! I doubt I will be able to update between now and the end of November (I really should have halted this to start NaNoWriMo properly, but I couldn't leave you all hanging!), but you never know.**

**Until then, my loyal readers (and reviewers, hint-hint), wish me luck, and I hope these insanely long chapters hold you over for a month… -sniff- I'll miss you all! –sniff-**

**Much love,**

**Marti**

**p.s. Um, I know the grammar and whatnot in these biggies are just awful, but I'm too busy to edit them fully, now, because of their size. I will go back, eventually, and fix them up, I swear, but until then I do apologize.**


	26. Thanksgiving with the Neilson Family

**Disclaimer: Must I do this again? This is absurd, really. If you, readers, have not come to the conclusion that Wren does not own, well, anything, then you are all morons. **

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**Anij: Errors? As if there would be ANY. I am shocked that you would look for them at all. And if being late to your employment is your own misfortune, do not think to blame ****_me._ And, might I add, you are welcome to have any goblin you wish… I have far too many as it is… wait. No. I was mistaken. You can have any besides Squyshee, for Wren seems to have a terrible fondness for that one… the loyal and semi-intelligent ones are terribly few and far between. Erm… let me see… I shall be generous and ignore your comment about Tillan, despite how humorous he would find it, I am sure… Ah, well, yes, I agree, she should wish to stay with me. Encourage THAT more, and less of this silly story nonsense. **

**Yami Moon: Oh, sniffle, sniffle, I am sure you will survive. Vacation… I beg your pardon? Wren was able to completely relax and rejuvenate while in my company – as she always does. There are no vacations from vacations – that is sheer nonsense. Might I suggest you take a good, solid, amount of time off from whatever it is that you do on a daily basis, and give your common sense some time to replenish itself. Absurd… vacation from vacation… **

**DanikaLareyna: Oh, it's you… again… Yes, I quite agree that Squyshee deserves some credit. He may very well be one of the most intelligent… well, the least destructive of my goblins. And, as you can see, he is terribly fond of Wren, which baffles me, entirely. I confess, Wren is a complete delight to be near, but I do not quite understand how it is that he enamored himself with her… Ah, well. At least he has not set any chickens on fire. **

**Contraltissimo: Hmm. Your comments intrigue me… they seem somewhat more intelligent than so many others do… commenting on the craft as well as the content… WHAT? TILLAN?! He is now your FAVORITE?! Oh, no, I must have been mistaken. HOW could you say TILLAN? I do not care that he resembles a silly character you are so enamored with from something else. That is just… absurd. Completely ridiculous. And, no, I am not being 'jealous'… Wren, yes, Wren should be your favorite, as she is mine. And Ridiculous Maxine INTRIGUES you!?! You, along with that Yami character, need to take a vacation and give yourselves time for your common sense to replenish. **

Sammi C.: Quite the etymologist! Congratulations on creating your very own language, and translating it so that we all understand. And why are you looking forward to December? Your favorite month? I am looking forward to… January. Yes, why not? January is the most exciting month of the year, and I cannot wait for it. I shall, however, pass along your wish of luck. That was very kind of you. I am sure it will be appreciated. Oh, please, what do you think? That I have time to sit and sketch jewelry all day long??? I have a kingdom to run! And, when not attending to stately duties, I am courting Wren. That takes far more priority than your curiosity over what ring she wears. 

**Notwritten: Ah, so YOU are the one that fascinates people so… WHAT? Who took my clothes off??? Oh… Wren… NO! Might I clarify that situation a bit? Wren DID NOT take my clothes OFF! She merely aided me in my moment of sheer exhaustion by showing utter compassion and true adoration while being terribly kind in allowing me to keep my dignity. There IS a difference.**

**Karine Dragon'sheart: Why, yes, thank you, I shall! Blast, eh? Well, let us all hope not. As long as the goblins stay out of the burritos I had imported from Above, all should be well. **

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**Greetings. **

**As you may all have assumed, it is I, His Royal Highness, Lord of the Labyrinth, Master of Magic, Jareth the Magnificent. **

**To dispel your concerns, I do have Wren's permission to access this, and document these very recent events. Wren is… occupied elsewhere…ts. Wren is… occupied elsewhere…ething that is for a professor or some sort of instructor in her schooling. I am not all that concerned. Regardless, she has requested – begged, pleaded, on bended knee – that I take some of my precious time and ****_update_ in her place. **

**I was highly adverse to electronically publishing my comments for all of you to see and read at will, but, as you may well know, Wren has excellent coercion skills, and… I am not often able to resist her requests. **

**And so there you have it. Here are my thoughts and feelings regarding the recent issues we had with… what did she call it, again? **

**Oh, yes. **

**Thanksgiving. **

**

* * *

**

It had been a very long day in the Underground. The Goblins had set a chicken on fire and set it loose in the gardens of the Labyrinth – something that is not the easiest to gain control over, I assure you. Catching chickens, on the best of days, when they are not on fire, is stressful enough, but _flaming_… yes, I was very worn when I noticed the time, and realized that Wren would be soon home from her work.

She is such a comfort to me. I know, many would see such affection to a mortal as a weakness, but I do not. Not Wren, at least.

When I was certain that I had allowed enough time for her to have traveled home and fully changed out of her work attire and into more comfortable clothing, I decided to visit.

Yes, that one time in which I came to visit a little too soon, was quite awkward, indeed.

I had my most dashing smile at the ready, completely prepared to catch her, should her day have been so utterly mind numbing that she be in need of strong arms to hold and comfort her.

I transported myself into her room and was rather disappointed to see that she was yelling on her small _cell phone_ – completely ineffective, I say. Crystals are much better for long distance communication, and are far more reliable… except that mortals cannot summon or use them – and flailing her hands about in frustration.

"No, Lachlan! It's not a good idea… just… because I said so, that's why!" she was saying, gritting her teeth, "I don't care! She's you're girlfriend, _you_ can entertain her… Urgh, no…. no. I don't trust her – haven't we been over this before? Orla says one thing, and then always – ALWAYS – does something else! I don't care what she told Mom. No…. Oh, please, don't give me that. It's not the same, and you know it. Zeke hasn't ever tried to steal your girlfriends, so don't even try to tell me…" and she continued on like that for some while.

I decided that it would behoove me to ignore the half-sided conversation, and wait until she explained what her trouble was when she was finished.

When she snapped her cell phone closed, she threw it on her bed, and made a very un-lady-like growling noise in her throat.

"Wren, my dearling," I said, doing my best to allow my voice to wash over her, "What troubles you so?"

She jumped, slightly, in seeing that I was there. Apparently, she had not realized I had appeared.

"Oh, gosh! Jareth!" she put a hand over her heart and took a step backwards, obviously in astonishment that I had come at just the right time. "You startled me!" No, I'm certain she only claimed that to be demure about her need for me.

I smiled, softly at her, "What has you so troubled, my Wren?"

Her ire dimmed and she gave me her soft smile. "Family troubles," she muttered, then looked at her bedroom door. "I'll be right back… just a minute…"

She stomped from the bedroom, leaving the door open a few mere inches. I took this opportunity to incline my head to see if listening to what may be happening outside of Wren's room would give me some idea as to what was troubling her so. No, I was not eavesdropping – such as would be extremely rude.

"Mom," Wren was saying, "What the heck? Lachlan and I are the only ones coming this year? I don't…"

"Honey," her mother said in reply, "Gideon and Julie are going to her parent's this year, Ezekiel said he might come, but he's not sure what Ruth has planned, Persephone can only come for one major holiday, so she chose to come for Christmas…"

I could almost see the look on Wren's face. Most likely her pretty eyes were getting very large and her head was turning to the side. "And what about Orla?"

And, from the sound of things, gritting her teeth.

Her mother sighed, "Why do you have to hold such animosity against your sister, Wren?"

"I'm not. Just… look, what did Orla say she was doing?"

"Hmm… well, she wasn't specific about it… just said she had other plans, and wouldn't be able to make it…"

My Wren growled, again, "Yeah, sure… you know she's coming, like she always does. She just wants everyone to be super surprised and excited to see her when she walks in the door!"

"Wren," her mother's voice became stern, "That's enough. If Orla said she had other plans, then she very well may have them. Her lifestyle is very active, and it changes frequently,"

"As do her dates," Wren grumbled. I do not think that her mother could hear that particular comment. I, as a Fae, have excellent hearing, when I apply it, and therefore could hear her very clearly.

Her mother was shuffling around in the kitchen, now. "So, Honey, long story short-" being that Wren was not near enough to hear it, I scoffed at her mother's endearment. Honey? Spare me. Honey is sickeningly sweet and terribly sticky, and it seems to spread all over, far too quickly, "-You and Lachlan are the only two coming this year! Wren, you know me and the holidays, I need people to cook for! So I suggested to Lachlan that he could bring a friend. I heard he is dating a lovely girl, and I'm anxious to meet her…"

Even I could hear the expectant tone in Wren's mother's tone of voice.

"Don't look at me like that, Mom. I…"

"Lachlan said you might have someone special to invite, too…?" Could that woman be anymore blatant in her attempts to pry into her daughter's private affairs?

Wren heaved a sigh, "Remind me to notify Lachlan that he's been demoted from the rank of my favorite brother."

The delight in her mother's voice was painful. "So there IS someone! Oh, I could tell. You've been so… so…"

"Mom, please, don't say it…"

"So perky! Oh, I must meet whoever this young man is."

Wren was silent. I frowned. What was her hesitation? I decided to relinquish my spot at the door and seat myself in that delightful chair of Wren's, the bean one, and watch the conversation through a crystal.

Wren was squinting… no, wait, she was frowning _and _squinting. Oh… I know that face. That is Wren's face that means there is something she does not want to say, but knows she should.

"Wren?" her mother asked, seeing her face. "What?"

She shrugged, trying to be innocent about it. "Nothing, really. He's… he's just a bit older than I am, that's all. I mean, not… not that that matters, right?"

Wren's mother gave her a look that suggested she was highly doubtful. "An older man?"

Excuse me? I am _not_ old. Refined, mature, suave, but not _old_. Not by Fae standards, at least.

Wren smiled – most likely knowing what my reaction would be – and rolled her eyes a little, "Just older than me, Mom. Leave it at that."

Her mother turned, a bright and most likely fake smile on her lips (a nice smile, faux or not, and I can see where Wren inherited her own grin), "So you'll invite him? Please, Wren! And what's his name? I have to know his name."

"Um… Jareth Kendricks."

Oh, yes. I had forgotten. Mortals are obsessed with _names_. Why? I do not understand this… They always have to have a bloody name. Well, I suppose I should be thankful that Wren did not insist on changing my first name.

It was not very long before Wren returned to her bedroom and shut her door. She slumped against it, and eyed me as I sat in her chair.

"So... how much of that did you listen to?"

"I am insulted, Wren," I said, being completely truthful. As always. "You just assumed that I stood there and listen to every word?"

She nodded, "Pretty much. Not that I mind, in this case. But, please, save me the trouble of telling you stuff you already know, and let me know what you heard."

I sniffed, regally. I truly was insulted. But, none the less… "What have I been invited to?"

Wren sighed, "Thanksgiving dinner with my parents. As I'm guessing you already know, a it seems that Lachlan and I are the only kids coming, so Mom said we could each invite a guest… Lachlan…" she shook her fist in the air, "He spilled the beans."

I frowned, "Beans? Are you expected to clean them up?"

She smiled, "No… I meant that he told Mom I was seeing someone… well, okay, so perhaps he didn't say that specifically, but he sure did a fine job of hinting about it. Anyway, now Mom wants to meet you, anyway."

"Ah." This could go very wrong, very quickly, if I was not very careful. "And you are not pleased with this?"

She sighed and moved to her bed, throwing herself upon it, "Not really. I know you met Lachlan… that went well enough, I suppose. But… everyone else? I'm not sure I'm ready for you to meet them, yet."

I stood and moved to sit beside her on the bed. I reached out, taking a few strands of her hair in my fingers and began twisting and twirling them. I simply adore the face she pulls when I toy with her hair. "Let us think about this logically," I said, calmly. "Lachlan will be there, and he will be bringing… erm…"

"Nokomis." She said, giving me a funny look.

I nodded, "Yes, that girl. She was rather impressed with me, was she not?"

Wren snorted – a sound I have come to realize I am quite fond of – "You might say that. I think she's tried to book you for some David Bowie impersonations."

I sighed, "Yes… continuing on," I twirled her hair some more, "The only people who I have not met will be your mother and father. If ever there would be a more relaxed, and controllable, atmosphere, I would say that that would be it."

She looked up at me, her eyes round with worry, "Orla's gonna show, I know it. She says she won't be coming, but-"

I pressed a finger to her lips and smiled down at her, "Wren, do you doubt my fidelity to you?"

Her cheeks went an adorable and highly flattering shade of pink and she blinked at me a few times, "No. I don't doubt you, Jareth. I just…"

"If you trust me, then you have nothing to fear of Orla, whether she comes or not."

* * *

I am not fully certain what reaction I was expecting from Wren's mother and father, in first officially meeting them. I suppose, considering reactions I have received as Goblin King in the Underground – fainting, sighing, oogling, the occasional attempted fondler – that I was expecting at the very least something positive. 

I could easily visualize different reactions from them, all very plausible.

Of course, I would allow Wren to lead me into their house, as though I had never been there before. I would stand and marvel at what a lovely home it is, perhaps say a few compliments on how 'cozy' it is. Then Wren's mother and father would step forward, and Wren would introduce us. Her mother would blush, appropriately, and her father would offer his arm to me, which I would take and shake in the traditional Aboveground custom. I would then follow the introductions with a few more flattering comments about their home, and Wren, and her parents would smile and welcome the two of us to dinner.

Yes, that was possible.

It was also entire possible that after our introductions, her mother would began gushing compliments of her own, telling Wren how happy she is that she was able to find someone so dashing and caring towards her. Then, naturally, her father would chime in, agreeing that he could not see any lesser man for his daughter, and was so pleased in Wren's choice that I would be welcome to come into their home any time I pleased.

Oh, that was sure to happen. I was certain.

But, I could also not doubt the fair probability that, after the swapping of compliments, her mother could embrace both Wren and I, saying how pleased she was that fate had brought the two of us together. That topic, of course, would lead her father to announce that should I wish to court his daughter formally, I had his complete approval to do so.

Now, honestly, I had every reason to assume some scenario of that sort. I am, after all, the Goblin King. True, they may not know that, but they seem to be intelligent people, and would surely recognize a dignified presence amongst them.

Somehow, I was not expecting the reaction I did receive. It was completely uncalled for.

Wren had insisted that I wear some traditional Aboveground clothes. I dressed similarly to how I did when meeting Lachlan. I also allowed Wren to, as she put it, _tame_ my hair. While I see nothing wrong with my coif, stylish and fashionable as it is, I had to agree that it was best to err on the side of caution with her parents, and assume that it might be disagreeable to them. Wren was very kind in delicately tying it back for me, tucking in my shorter strands as she did so.

Wren wore a delightful ensemble of a flowing skirt patterned with various autumn colors paired with russet hued top that flattered her, beautifully. I chose to contrast her colors, choosing a buttoned shirt of a rich green with midnight trousers and my boots and gloves, of course.

Now, from what I had heard from Wren, her parents seemed thrilled that she had someone to bring to dinner, this year. I arrived out front of their home after I was certain that Lachlan and Nokomis had already arrived. His small vehicle was parked out front on the paved street. I rapped lightly on the front door, per Wren's instructions, and almost instantly was forced to take a step back as Wren popped out the door, shutting it behind her.

She was breathing heavily, and looking terribly flustered. "I don't think I can do this." She said, simply, allowing her fears to get the better of her.

I took her face in my hands, "You can, my dearling," I said, reassuring her, "For I shall be with you. Everything will be well." I leaned in and kissed her lightly – something, I believe, I do not do enough – and watched as her tension eased.

She nodded, "Okay… sure. Yeah, sure. We can do this. Okay… follow me…" She turned and opened the door, taking my hand in hers and leading me inside.

Mr. and Mrs. Neilson were in the front living room of the house, as was Lachlan. After a look at Wren, Lachlan jumped forward, "Ah, Jareth, nice to see you again," he said, jovially, offering me his hand.

I shook his hand, nodding to him, "Lachlan, yes, it is good to see you again, as well."

Apparently, Nokomis has keener ears than I assumed she did, for upon hearing my voice, her head appeared from around the corner and she came dashing into the room. "Jareth!" she all but squealed, "Wow, glad to see you here! I didn't know if you'd come… Wren said she wasn't sure if you could make it!"

I inclined my head to Nokomis, reaching out and squeezing her hand gently in greeting – the proper way would have been to kiss the lady's hand, but I had enough foresight to decide against this, for the sake of Wren's parents, who may not understand. "Lovely Nokomis, I am glad that you are here as well. It is a pleasure to see you again."

Then I turned to Wren, who was chewing her lower lip, fretfully. "Dearling, would you please introduce me to your parents?"

She nodded and stepped up between us. "Mom, Dad," she said, shakily, "I'd like you to meet Jareth Kendricks. Jareth," she motioned to her parents, "This is my Dad, Frank, and my Mom, Sally."

I stepped forward and bowed politely to both of them. I began to utter several compliments about how lovely their home was, and how thrilled I was to meet them…

But neither of them moved. Both were gawking at me – rather undignified – as though I had an extra head. I looked to the side, quickly, to make certain that I did not. Once that was assured, I looked at Wren.

Wren sighed and cleared her throat. "Mom, Dad, aren't you going to say hello to my boyfriend?"

Her mother blinked and quickly reached out to me, "Oh, yes, of course! Welcome!"

"Thank you," I replied. This was not going as planned…

Before I even had a chance to compliment Sally on her beauty, which she obviously passed to her daughter, the woman turned to Wren, saying, "Wren, sweetie, come help me with the potatoes, in the kitchen…"

"What? Whoa!" Sally took Wren's arm, nearly pulling her beyond my sight.

I, the Lord of the Labyrinth, Master of Magic, King of the Goblins, was left with Wren's father – where had Lachlan and Nokomis gone??? – and… did not feel particularly brave about it.

"Mr. Neilson," I said, nodding to her father.

He did not have a kind greeting in response. Instead, he folded his arms across his chest and regarded me as though I were some kind of vagrant who had invaded his home. The nerve!

My keen hearing overheard something in the kitchen being said between Wren and Sally… I believe Sally was demanding to know whether or not Wren had given me… her Social Security Number? Whatever that meant…

But I was a bit too preoccupied with Wren's father to be bothered with other conversations.

"So, Jareth…" the man began, "What do you do for a living? You _do_ have a job, don't you?"

I lifted my head at that insinuation. If he only knew. "Why, of course I do. Two, actually," I was pleased to note that this seemed to shock Frank, "I am in the childcare profession, dealing with the removal and relocation of unwanted children. But, when money is…" I quickly recalled some monetary terms I had heard Wren use, "…tight, I fill in on weekends as a security guard."

The man twitched an eyebrow at me. He reminded me vaguely of Lachlan… that is, if Lachlan were taller and ate more pastries. "Nice accent – you're British, I can tell. Are you legal, here? You're not looking for a green-card, are you?"

What in the name of the Underground was a 'green-card'? "I am very legal here. Why would you assume I am not?"

He raised his eyebrows in a mockingly innocent fashion, "Just curious." Good heavens, I could see where Wren got her snappish side. "You ever been married before?"

Oh, now that was not a question I was expecting. I clamped my teeth down on my tongue to forestall the comment that threatened to blurt out… something demanding to know what this 'Thanksgiving dinner' was all about. Instead, I thought about it, carefully… his pidgin English was worse than Wren's! It was easy to misunderstand… I selected my words carefully before answering.

"I have not yet found someone special enough to share my life with, no." Were all mortals so prying? Or was this just fatherly concern for Wren?

His eyes narrowed – oh, yes, I recognized that expression from Wren, as well – and he said, in a whisper with enough venom to rival my own, when I chose to use it, "You have kids?"

I snorted, "I am in the childcare profession, am I not? Did I not just explain that to you?"

The man shook his head, "No, I meant do have… children of your own."

I raised an eyebrow at him, "We also covered that, as well – I am not married, nor have I been so committed to another. Why would I have children, if not in a bond for which said children would be raised in a loving and caring environment by both a mother and a father?"

I kept my face lightly confused, but inwardly smirked. My response completely confused the man… I am sure he saw me as quite the womanizer, as so many usually did. But, to my dismay, he continued his prodding when his mind came up with another question for me.

"Well, then for a man your age, what, are you afraid of commitment?"

Oh, now that terribly stressed my limits of patience. I steeled my eyes at him and frowned, "Mr. Neilson," I said, as sternly as I could without passing as rude, "If I were, I would not be here, enduring your interrogation, for the sake of your daughter, whom I care very much about."

Lachlan suddenly reappeared in the room – hmm, perhaps he had gone to rescue Wren from her mother? – and looked highly flustered, "Dad!" he said, "Lay off, please! Jareth is a guest, not applying for a job!"

I gave Lachlan a brief glance of gratitude, however little of it he deserved for deserting me so, and turned back to Frank. He was now smiling at me, nodding slightly, as though her were at least minutely impressed with my answers.

The change in attitude towards me was more than startling. The man reached out an arm, put it over my shoulder and slapped me forcefully on the back – nearly knocking the wind from my lungs! "Nah, I'm just getting to know him, right Jerry?"

I winced. He was as bad as a fan fiction.

"Come on now," Frank said, wrapping his other arm around his son, "Let's go see if the game is on, yet…"

Well… it was not the flattering scenario I had envisioned, but I was willing to accept it as quite the improvement. Perhaps things were looking up…

* * *

Football is nothing but incomprehensible nonsense, if you do not know. But, of course, this was merely my opinion of it before the game even began. Whatever is the point of a 'pre-show'? It is absurd. But, all the same, I was good-natured, and sat and watched, mindlessly agreeing and nodding my head and giving non-committal answers. 

I was exceedingly grateful to Wren, when she came in, obviously sensing my boredom, and asked for my help in the kitchen.

It was all I could do not to leap in there, away from the droning television.

"Dearling, what can I assist you with?" I asked, briskly following her.

She smiled at me, then leaned in closely, whispering where only I could hear, "Hey, how you doing? Did Lachlan save you in time?"

I gave her a small laugh, "He arrived just in time for the interrogation to end."

She frowned, "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have let Mom pull me away…"

"Do not be," I said, taking her hand gently in my own, "I believe your father has more trust in me."

This brightened her outlook, considerably, and she raised her voice to where Nokomis and Sally could hear as well. "Would you like to help me with desert?" she asked.

Ooh. That sounded interesting. "Cookies?"

Wren snorted a little, and Sally laughed considerably. At first, I was not sure whether or not to be offended by this, but after a moment I realized Sally perceived my comment as a joke. That could only mean that cookies were out of the question. Bugger.

Wren recovered from her mirth. "I think it's time we expanded your repertoire of deserts…" then, added quietly, "Above ground deserts…"

Oh, I was willing for that.

"What are you going to prepare?" I asked, sincerely curious.

"Pie," she said. "Pie is very traditional… this year, I get to make the pumpkin pie. C'mon, you can help me."

I began assisting as best I could. Wren was kind enough to include me on the kitchen conversation, and asked for help with measuring ingredients from time to time. Pie is very fascinating! The crust alone is nearly an art! Sally was also very congenial towards me, seeing how ready I was to abandon the television set and assist in the kitchen. Apparently, that is a very important thing to Aboveground women.

Overall, things were seeming to look up…

But then, the telephone rang. Wren and I had just put her pie in the oven, and she hopped over to answer it. I watched – she was adorable when happy.

"Hello? Oh, hey Gid! How… what?" and then she paled.

"Wren," I gasped, seeing how white her face had become. I dashed to her side, instantly, "Wren, are you feeling well? What is the matter?"

She hung up the phone, looking terrified. Sally even looked bewildered at her daughter. "Wren, sweetie, is something wrong? Is Julie doing well? The kids? Are the kids all okay?"

Wren was shaking, and her eyes were huge. "They're coming."

Sally laughed and sighed, waving a dismissive hand at Wren, "Oh! Is that all? Well, that's good news, hon! We haven't seen Leyla since before she could walk! You should be pleased."

Wren shook her head, looking at me, "No, mom. They're ALL coming."

Sally slowly turned to look at Wren. "All?"

Wren nodded, "Gideon just called to say that Julie really wanted to come and see us this year, her parents had some other things going on, and," she gulped, "She talked to Ruth. Now Ezekiel and Ruth will be coming, too."

Sally paled, "Oh my – everyone? Oh…"

My poor Wren! Her face looked so resigned! "Gid said they're bringing a turkey, too, so there will be plenty, and you know Julie and Ruth will have stuff to contribute."

Her mother's face lifted, "Well, then there's nothing to worry about, is there? FRANK! GUESS WHAT? ZEKE AND GID WILL BE COMING!"

Before I had a chance to blink, Wren had pulled me down towards her bedroom, out of the kitchen and out of earshot from her family. "Wren," I said, worried. She looked terribly like she was ready to have an anxiety attack, or worse, "Are you well?"

She grabbed my hands, shaking like a leaf, "No, I'm not. _Jareth! My brothers are coming! Gideon and his wife, Julie, and their three kids, then Ezekiel and Ruth and their two girls – Jareth, they're all going to be here, and I don't think I'm ready for this!_" she was breathing far too fast.

"Calm yourself," I said quietly. I glanced down the hall, assuring that we were alone, then summoned a crystal and pressed it into her delicate hands, "Squeeze it, Wren, between your hands. It shall help. It will vanish in a moment."

She nodded, listening to me, for once. I pulled her to me, folding her in my arms as she buried her face in my chest. "Better," she muttered.

I smiled into her hair. "It is going to be fine, my dearling. Stop worrying. I have faced your father – I doubt your brothers will be any more difficult."

* * *

Ezekiel was the first to arrive. Well, to be fair, the first to arrive were Ezekiel's twin daughters, who came into the room making as much noise as two five-year-olds can. Sally was delighted. She came into the room with a squeal, grabbing them up and… well, much noise followed. 

For the next few minutes, the house was alive with noise as greetings were made, children were hugged, and extra places at the table were set.

I stood towards the back of the room, watching the scene before me. It was… amazing. Almost overwhelming, even for I. Not for the noise, as a castle of goblins tends to give one a near immunity to such things, but for the compassion. Wren dashed over and hugged her sister-in-law, Ruth, then giggled and kissed each of her nieces… I marveled at it all. Such a family I have never known.

But, my marveling was cut short. Wren threw a glance over her shoulder, indicating that she wanted to introduce me, but before she had the chance, another voice entered the room, via the front door.

"What? Not saving any for us?"

Everyone turned to see who I assumed was Gideon – an impressive man, about my own height – entering with opened arms for his family. As he and his family entered, the noise doubled, as did the greetings. Now, I had to blink, there were children everywhere.

The two red-haired twins nearly ran me down. The hit me before they noticed I was even there.

They looked straight up and their mischievous eyes widened in shock and fear. I grinned down at them. "Hello," I said.

They both looked at each other, screamed, and ran the other direction. Had I not been in such an intimidating atmosphere, I would have found such a reaction rather humorous.

The twins' screams brought the attention of the entire room upon my own head. I smiled coolly. I was accustomed to such scrutiny. What I was not accustomed to was the inability to take it without glaring in response… I could not. This was Wren's family. I had to, as she had put it, "Be nice."

It did not escape my notice that Wren's two eldest brothers each looked at one another before turning slow, disbelieving eyes to their youngest sister, who was occupied with her two nephews, who had attached themselves to her arms.

I coughed, politely. Wren looked up, noticed the attention of the room, and peeled herself away, quickly running to my side.

"Everyone," she said, her voice quavering noticeably, "I would like you all to meet Jareth Kendricks… my boyfriend," I could not suppress the grin that came from seeing her blush terribly at saying such to her family, "And Jareth, I'd like you to meet my family."

She proceeded to name those I had not previously met. "Um, this is Ezekiel, Ruth, and their girls – you met them, I see – Melody and Harmony. Then there's my oldest brother, Gideon, and his wife, Julie, their two boys, Isaac and Albert,"

"Berty!" the young boy said, turning a little red.

Wren grinned and laughed, "Sorry, _Berty_. Then… wait a minute…" she looked around, frowning, "Where'd she go…" Julie and Gideon also began looking around.

At that moment, I noticed something had taken hold of my leg, from behind. I had not noticed it at first, for I am, as Goblin King, fairly accustomed to small things attaching themselves to my boots. But here, in the Aboveground?

I blinked a few times and looked down. There, standing behind my leg and peeking around to look up at me, was a very tiny child in a pink shirt, pants, tiny shoes, and a great mass of golden wavy hair spilling all around her darling face.

"Well, who would you be?" I asked. Her face darted back behind my calf.

Wren looked startled. "Oh! Whoa, there she is!" she stepped around and picked up the child from behind me, holding her on one hip. The small child instantly entwined her fingers in Wren's hair and hid her face behind it. Wren laughed, "This is Leyla."

I stooped down so that I could look the child in the eyes. "Why, hello there… Leyla?"

The little girl pulled more of Wren's hair in front of her face, and didn't say a word. Wren, however, smiled at me, lightly, "She's always – well, almost always – a little shy," she set the tiny thing back down upon her feet, and she scampered off to hide behind her mother.

Gideon stepped forward, then. "So, Jareth? Not a name you hear every day."

I smiled at him, lightly, "I might say the same of you, Gideon, though I would wager that your name may be more familiar than mine, given the biblical reference."

The tall man nodded, "I suppose. Your name is a little familiar, though…" his eyebrows knit together and he looked at me as he searched through his memory.

This seemed to upset Wren, who jumped forward, "It was Orla's best friend's, um, ferret, back in high school, remember, Gid?" I frowned at her. _Ferret_? What was she trying to imply? Could she not put my name on a stallion, a great bear, a loyal dog, or, oh, say, a _barn owl_?

He looked at Wren before squinting up at the ceiling for a minute. "That might be it… Now that you mention it, I'm pretty sure it's something Orla had mentioned, so, yeah, you're probably right."

He once again turned to me, offering me his hand, "It's nice to have you join us, today, Jareth. I hope you don't have anything against kids… mine will more than likely seek you out and talk your ears off…" he rolled his eyes, much as I have seen Wren do on so many occasions, as his eldest son began chatting noisily to Sally about something or other.

"Not at all," I said, "I work with children often. They are no trouble at all."

Ruth, Ezekiel's wife approached us, then – conversation within the rest of those in the room had resumed – and perked up when she heard me speak. "Hello," she said, reaching out to shake my hand quickly, "Sorry my girls ran into you earlier. I couldn't help notice your accent. You're British, aren't you?"

Wren tensed, but this was a question I knew I could handle well. "Oh," I said casually, "I have spent quite a bit of time in England, but you might say that I am from 'all over', but, to be more specific, I was not born in America."

She nodded, "Where else have you been?"

I shrugged, "Nearly everywhere,"

Wren grabbed my arm and began pulling me into the kitchen, "Hey, Jareth, lets go check that pie…"

I looked at her, curiously, "Did I say something inappropriate?"

Wren laughed, still keeping a firm grip on my arm, "No, you were great, but I just don't want Ruth to start asking questions that… she grew up in a military family, so she's been all around, too. She'd want to compare notes… but I am serious about the pie. We really need to check on it."

I shrugged and allowed her to lead me into the kitchen. Gideon's eldest son, Isaac, was in there, looking up at me with a curious gaze. When Wren released me to check on the pie, I turned to him. He seemed to be wanting to talk to me and also somewhat frightened to do so. I seated myself in one of the kitchen chairs, hoping to alleviate his fears. Despite what people may think, I do not wish to be imposing to young children – unless, of course, they have wished away a sibling and have the expectation of me to be frightening.

Isaac looked very much like his father. He was tall for his age, with sandy-blonde hair. Even in him, I could definitely see the resemblance to his aunt.

"I like your boots," he said at last, "But you're not very country. Why wear boots, if you're not a cowboy?"

Wren threw a dish towel at him, "Isaac, that's not very nice."

I laughed and waved a hand at Wren, "No, no, I do not mind such questions, Wren," I turned to the boy, "I wear them because I prefer them…" I leaned forward and gave him a wild grin – as Wren watched – saying, "The better to stomp goblins with."

Wren snorted and went back the oven.

Isaac, though, did not seem impressed with my little joke. "Goblins don't exist."

I leaned back in my chair, "Oh? Is that so?" This one amused me.

The boy folded his arms across his chest and gave me a proud smile, "I've read about them. According to medieval English folklore, they're helpful imps or household spirits. In Scotland, they're called _brownies_ and in Germany they're called _kobolds_. They attach themselves to families and move into their homes, but they really like isolated places like farms and cottages. Goblins supposedly vary in size, but are mostly smaller than humans and have gray hair and beards with distorted faces with extra fingers or missing ears and stuff like that. Their smile can kill humans," I noticed that Wren snorted at that, "and their laugh can make fruit fall off trees and kill farm animals and whatnot, so it's best to keep them happy and not get on their bad sides. But that's just old folklore, they don't really exist. "

Now where did he gather all that tripe?

I smiled at him, "I wonder, though, how many families died, trying to keep the goblins happy?"

He shook his head, "No, they wouldn't die if they kept them happy you see…"

I raised a finger, "But, if the goblin is happy, they would smile and laugh, and therefore kill the family. It would be prudent to keep the goblin _unhappy_ by that logic… and yet an unhappy goblin could be dangerous as well…"

"Jareth," Wren said, mockingly, "Leave Isaac to his happy nerdy-ness," the boy started to protest that he was not, in fact, a nerd, and he threw the dish towel back at his aunt, but she turned to him as well, "And Isaac, stop flaunting what you've read from your Harry Potter encyclopedia books. Jareth is the wrong person to argue with, believe me."

I stood, ruffling the young man's hair and followed Wren back to the stove, where she had sat her pie to cool. I leaned into her ear, "Besides, Squyshee would be _devastated_ if he thought his laughter would ruin the fruit he loves to eat, would he not?"

She giggled and elbowed me. I kissed her cheek and wandered from the kitchen.

I paused, looking over my shoulder. Under the kitchen table, close to where I had been sitting, was Leyla, crouched down and watching me with wide eyes. I smiled at her. She quickly dashed from the room.

* * *

Ruth and Julie had brought more food with them – how much did humans eat in one setting on Thanksgiving? – and set it up in the dining room on the table. Sally and Frank were very thrilled to have a reason to use their fancy table and dining room – Wren explained that the kitchen table was what they typically used to eat on, and what we probably would have eaten on had there not been so many more family members present, but with so many, the parents opened up their most elaborate room and prepared it to accommodate the entire family, Nokomis and myself. 

I made a mental note to later thank Wren for inviting me to this family meal. Large families are nearly unheard of in the Underground, the Fae generally being limited to one or two children in a family. The Neilson's were astounding to me. Four out of their six children (did they even know how wonderful that was?) and two of them had more than one child each of their own as well! And here they were, all together, and happy. I was also amazed at, what would it be called? Family resemblance? With one or two children, it is nearly impossible to determine which traits, if any, are passed to the children. But, as I sat down beside Wren at the dinner table, and looked around at all the faces before me, each one had something I recognized. Several had eyes like Wren, others had hair, hands, a posture, a build… they were each different and also so very alike. It was very fascinating. I would have to tell Myanya, later.

Sally was the last to enter into the dining room. I inquired as to why, and Wren explained that she was bringing in the Turkey, which was the meat that was traditionally eaten on Thanksgiving. I nodded and waited. Turkey's were not unfamiliar to me, for we do have them in the Underground.

I frowned when she entered. The bird was on a large platter, fresh from the oven, heated and cooked to a golden brown. Everyone made appreciative noises as Sally sat the bird down in front of her husband, Frank, who sat at the head of the long table.

Wren saw my frown and nudged me, "Something wrong?"

I shook my head, "No, nothing is wrong…"

"Then what's with the frown?"

"It's not purple…"

Wren coughed, "Purple turkey's?"

Julie, who was across from Wren, looked up, "What's purple?"

Isaac, who had curiously decided to sit beside me, clarified the situation, "The turkey!"

Sally looked alarmed, "What about my turkey?"

"It's purple," said the little red head across the table (I believe it was Harmony).

Nokomis, who sat on the other side of Wren, giggled, "Turkey's aren't purple…"

I frowned, "Truly?"

Wren kicked me, under the table, and her voice rose in pitch, "You kidder… stop joking with the kids! Mom, your turkey is lovely… Dad? Are we ready to say the blessing?"

He nodded, eagerly, "Yes we are. Would one of our guests like to offer it? Jerry?"

This startled me more than the turkey had. Poor Wren… she looked positively stiffened with fear over this. I knew it was customary to 'bless' the food for many in the Aboveground, but I knew very little as to what that entailed. I, though, am very skilled at graciously declining offers. "Oh, I am sincerely flattered, sir, that you would give me such an honor, but I, as your humbled guest this day, could not think of taking such liberties from you or someone else here, far worthier than I."

The man grinned, as though he were hoping I would be as kind. "Okay, then, I'll go ahead…"

I followed Wren's example. A very humble ritual of giving thanks – ah, that did clarify things – for blessings the family has had, recognition of what they were thankful for, and showing gratitude for the meal before them and the time together. I found it very quaint and endearing.

And then, as soon as it was done, dinner began.

Eating with the Neilson's was not an easy affair. Food was being passed back and forth, cut, scooped, and even, with a dinner roll between Isaac and Berty, tossed. Julie easily plucked it from the air and reprimanded her sons for such behavior.

The turkey may not have been purple, but it was very delicious. I gave my compliments to Sally, and the older woman blushed furiously and laughed.

But the meal had barely begun when there was knock at the door. Sally began to get up, but Frank ordered her to sit, saying he would answer it. It took the older man a minute to stand up and he hurried out of the room. I raised an eyebrow at this… something was not quite right…

Frank must have taken a bit too long, for the bell rang. It rang once, then three more times in a quick succession. Everyone at the table instantly looked up and around at each other, recognizing the action of ringing the bell repeatedly.

Most everyone seemed pleased – except Wren. She dropped her fork and looked like she was ready to cry… under the table, she squeezed my hand, frantically.

Nearly in unison, most people at the table laughed and looked around excitedly, saying "Orla!"

A squeal erupted in the other room – I presumed in an excited greeting between father and daughter. Frank came in, smiling happily, "Look who's here!"

Sally, after suffering a withering glare from Wren, stood as Orla entered the room. Did all Neilson's have to make an entrance? Gideon had made a bit of one, earlier… but, I could honestly say that I have never seen Wren make such a scene. Orla, an entirely too slender woman with extremely long flaxen hair that curled and shone in an almost Fae-like manner, strode into the room with her arms open wide. She wore clothing that even I could recognize as being what Wren often called, 'trendy'. She smiled around the table at her family, showing a very toothy grin of very white teeth.

I confess that she was very lovely… yet, her beauty seemed to be highly false. My eyes are as keen as my ears, and with them I could easily see the specific lines of makeup this woman applied to her face, most likely on a daily basis. False lashes and smoky eyes, perfectly plucked eyebrows, manicured nails, outlined lips in just the right shade and the obvious application of blush…

It was all I could do not to roll my eyes. She, similarly to Fae women, hid who she truly was. I have a great distaste for that practice. Perhaps that is why I adore Wren so – she hides neither her face nor her personality. True, she wears makeup, but never enough to force me to question how her appearance would be without it. Wren is true. I did not want to judge Orla as a Fae woman… but I instantly found myself doing so.

"Aw," she began, "I missed you guys! Look at us! Momma!" Sally embraced her daughter tightly, then quickly ran to retrieve another plate from the kitchen.

Ruth stood and gave her sister-in-law a hug, "Orla, I thought you weren't coming. What changed?"

She waved a hand, dismissively, "Oh, let's not talk about that. It's no fun. I heard you were all coming together, and," she placed a hand on her chest, "I couldn't miss out on an opportunity to see my family, all together at last!"

Wren snorted softly, and murmured, "Ninny… Persephone isn't here…"

Orla once again was looking around the table at the faces. She hugged the twins and then Gideon and Ezekiel. She waved at Wren and Lachlan who were sitting on the other side of the table, and she couldn't quite reach easily enough… then she spotted Nokomis.

"Oh, who's this? Lachlan? Is there something you wanted to tell me?"

Lachlan stood and introduced Nokomis to Orla while the blonde scooted her way around the table to meet them. I was pleased to see that Nokomis was not very comfortable with Orla, especially when Orla squealed and grabbed the dark-haired woman in a tight hug. Lachlan stepped in and pried his sister off…

Then her gaze fell on me. Her eyes grew large and her mouth made a little 'o' shape. "And who is this?"

Wren stood and I stood behind her. I was not fond of the look Orla was giving me. "Orla," Wren said, dryly, "This is my boyfriend, Jareth Kendricks. Jareth, this is Orla."

"A pleasure to meet you, Orla," I said.

She slowly smiled, still looking awed. "The pleasure's mine," she said.

Inwardly, I frowned. Then I smiled and linked my arm through Wren's, making a bit of a show of pulling her close to me, "Wren has told me so very much about her family, I feel like I know you already."

My movement did not go unnoticed. She smiled, "Oh, now you don't believe a word of it! Ha!"

Sally came in then with a piece of flatware, a set of silverware, and a glass for the new arrival. "Let's see," she said, looking at the rather crowded table, "Hmm… Julie, dear, could you scoot down a bit? We'll make room over here…"

I wondered if Orla would lobby to get a seat over between Isaac and myself, but was very pleased when she did not complain to be seated beside Julie. Unfortunately, that placed her directly across from me… and for that I was not too pleased. Perhaps that was why Orla had no complaints – she had a fair reason to ogle me.

Dinner resumed without much distress. The air in the room was definitely filled with more excitement after Orla had arrived. I only had one problem with the woman. Dinner had been going strong for a good while, everyone was happy and pleased and the children had finished and were all playing in the other room.

That was when, in a rather ridiculously breathy voice, Orla asked, "Would you like some more cranberries, Mr. Kendricks?"

Truly, was that supposed to be attractive? Enticing? For what is was worth, it most definitely was not. It made her sounds all around foolish.

And I did not care much for cranberries.

"No, thank you, Orla," I said as I turned back to Wren, for we had been discussing how it was that twins ran on her father's side, and why it was that Gideon did not have twins and Ezekiel did.

The rosy smile on Wren's face did not go beyond my notice.

* * *

After dinner had concluded, Nokomis explained that she had to go, for while she had desperately wanted to join Lachlan for dinner, she'd still promised to have dessert with her own family. 

I was rather disappointed to see her leave so soon – I was then the only one present who was not 'family'.

Not that Frank seemed to notice. The man had taken to calling me 'Jerry' and was as friendly to me as he was to his own sons.

"Five minutes to kick-off!" he announced with uncontrolled glee, not long after Nokomis had departed. Ruth made fist motions in the air, in excitement – she being about the only woman remaining who did. The men, and Ruth, made their way to the living room with slices of pie and ice cream and a few other pieces of dessert that had been dished out.

Sally rolled her eyes, "I will be out on the back porch with the grand kids with some music, to compensate for the noise of the game inside – it is so lovely today… and anyone is more than welcome to join me."

Julie raised her hand, "I'm with you, Sally," she said. "Besides, I want to keep an eye on Lelya. She's still too little to rough house with the twins, but that doesn't stop her from trying…"

Wren smiled, "I promised Berty a game of chess today… I'll get my set and join you all on the back porch."

Orla seemed rather non-committal.

Frank came dashing into the room, then, motioning to me, "Hey, Jerry, you coming? Game starts any minute!"

I watched from the corner of my eye as Wren walked out the back door… I turned to Jerry, "As much as I appreciate the offer, Frank, I am afraid that I have to agree with your wife – this day is too beautiful to miss. I shall be joining Wren and the others in the back."

He looked vaguely stunned, "Really? You sure?"

I nodded, "Very. Again, though, I thank you for the offer to join you. It is very much appreciated."

Frank nodded, then pointed a finger at me as retrieved another slice of pie and began to move to the back door. "I'll get you on baseball season, then…"

Out on the back porch, Sally was setting up a music machine and Wren was setting up the pieces of chess on the board on the grass. There was a table and some chairs, and I found that Orla and Julie were seated around it in chairs. The children, except for Berty, who was beside Wren on the grass, were running and playing various games.

Sally pressed some more buttons on the machine, and soon a song was playing out at a reasonable volume level. She smiled, "Oh, I love this song! Frank and I used to dance to this…"

I raised an eyebrow, glancing around at the size of the porch. It seemed large enough. I had an idea…

Orla and Julie eyed me as I approached Sally. "Mrs. Neilson?" I asked, offering her a hand.

She looked up at me surprised. "Oh, please, Jareth, don't make me feel so old – call me Sally…" she looked down at my hand, confused.

I smiled at her, "Would Frank mind terribly if I stole you for a dance?"

The older woman blushed terribly and giggled, "Well, I, well… why not?" she took my hand and I lightly danced with her around the porch, to the music. Wren, I saw, was watching us idly, a curious smile on her face while she played chess with Berty.

When I carefully spun Sally outward, she released my hand, covering her face in a fit of giggles, coming over to slap my arm, "Oh, my," she said, "You are going to make Frank jealous!" I smiled at her.

Wren was still playing with Berty, but I had quite the mind to ask her to dance… that is, until I felt something small once again attach itself to my leg.

I looked down, spotting Leyla, this time smiling up at me.

"Hello again," I said, dropping down to one knee to speak to the tiny thing better. She was very pretty, indeed. Her hair was a little disheveled from playing with her brothers and cousins. A leaf was stuck just above her ear. I reached out and plucked it from her hair, smoothing out a few strands as I did so. Leyla giggled.

"What is your name, again?" I asked, though I knew it well enough.

"Lala," she said in a small, shy voice.

"Oh, I see," I straightened out a few more strands of her hair, "That is a very pretty name. Are you having a good time, little one?"

She looked down at her small shoes and put her hands in the pockets of her pants. She said something to me, but her voice was so soft and so small that even my ears struggled to make it out. "Would you like to play a game?" I asked her.

She shook her head, her hair bouncing around her head, "No," she said.

"What would you like to do, then?"

The small girl looked up at me through her bangs, a bright smile on her small face. Looking very shy, she reached her hands out to me… Oh! I smiled, "Would _you_ like to dance, little Leyla?"

She nodded. Music was still playing, so I held out two fingers to her. She took them, excitedly. I spun her around, much as I had Sally, a few times, making her giggle and squeal, but after a moment or two the tiny girl held her hands out to me and said, "Up!"

I knew I was under tight scrutiny from all the women, but the moment I lifted Leyla into my arms and began to bounce her around and dip her, and so many giggles filled the air, Julie and Sally both seemed to be smiling and pleased. Orla looked confused. Wren was looking at me, biting her lip as she does when she watches some film that she adores.

I spent nearly three songs with Leyla. I did not mind. She was a very charming child, and very sweet. Wren was now merely watching me, her game with Berty long finished.

I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see Orla, batting her eyes at me. "May I cut in?" she asked in that breathy tone again.

I smiled and looked at Leyla. "Ah, well, I suppose such fun cannot last forever. Yes, Orla, you may," I gave the tiny girl a small kiss on the cheek and then handed her over to her aunt, who looked very shocked, indeed. "There we are…"

I left the giggling little girl with Orla and approached Wren, who I do not think I have seen look at me so pleased before. "Wren, may I have this dance?"

She took my hand, and I lifted her off the ground and spun her around before pulling her very close to me. She smiled and rested her face against my chest. "You have to be so stinkin' charming, don't you?" she said, teasingly.

I grinned, "Well, naturally. What would I be if not charming?"

"Then you'd just stink!" shouted Melody as she ran past.

I gave Wren a look. "You planned that. Do not deny it."

Wren snickered, "No, I didn't… Just a happy bonus from being near my family… Jareth?"

I kissed the top of her head, "Yes?"

"Thank you… I can't tell you how wonderful today has been. You and my family, all together… It was so great."

I pressed my nose into her hair, "Do not say that as though I have not enjoyed my time with them, Wren. It has been quite a day… I should probably be leaving, soon…"

She nodded, "Yeah, I guess… but I get one more song with you…"

I held her a little tighter, "Of course, my dearling."

* * *

**Well, that basically concluded the day. Wren wished that I make my notes on the matter, and I have. In conclusion, I must say that I did thoroughly enjoy time meeting Wren's family at last, and was more than pleased to have been invited and included in another aspect of her life. **

**And, also, I believe I shall have to teach my kitchen staff about pie… and also scold Wren for not exposing it to me sooner. **

**Wren shall be returning soon, I suppose, when she is not busy… whenever that is… but, truthfully, it may be longer than you think. I fully intend to let her know that her time is far better spent with me than it is online and whatnot. I know she would prefer if I asked all of you who have nothing better to do than to read this dribble to review it, but... no, I do not think I will.**

**But… as the Neilson's say, I do hope you all have had a nice holiday. **

**Sincerely, **

**Jareth the Magnificent.**


	27. Squyshee's Story

**Discalamiter: I don't owns nothin', 'cept what the King gives me, and he don't give me nothin', so I don't owns nothin.**

**

* * *

DanikaLareyna: Hi! I's Squyshee. The King's Lady said I get to do the commentingies today. I think you're a big, dumb, stupid-head. Also, you smell like cheese. Not good cheese, neither. You smell like the kind of cheese my cousin Blech the Troll likes ta eat. **

**notwritten: Hi! I's Squyshee. The King's Lady said I get to do the commentations today. I know you! You's the one who always makes the King's Lady make loud, squeaky noises whenever you says anything about her stories. Those noises make me have to cover my ears 'cause they hurt the insides of my head. First, I thought I should tell the King and make him go change you into a cockroach and step you, but then the King's Lady said that they were happy noises. So I guess that's ok.**

**Sammi C.: Hi! I's Squyshee. The King's Lady said I get to do the commenteering today. Most stuff that the King does isn't all that nice. I think that the King's Lady's point of view is way, way, way, way nicer.**

**Yami Moon: Hi! I's Squyshee. The King's Lady said I get to do the commentoodles today. You's silly. It's not flaming turkeys. It's purple turkeys. Chickens is _much_ better for flaming. **

**Anij: Hi! I's Squyshee. The King's Lady said I get to do the commentibbling today. Wow, you writes a lot. It'd take me all afternoon to read what you said, 'cept the King's Lady read it for me, so it didn't. She's nice. I don't think you's nice. I think you's tryin' to flirt with the King. I know so 'cause I always see ladies tryin' to flirt with the King. They say stuff like "You are SO handsome" and "You dance with SUCH grace" and "Can I bear your adorable, pointy-eared babies?" and "You write wonderfully". Stop flirtin' with the King or I'll tell on you to the King's Lady!**

**Opaaru Tsuki: Hi! I's Squyshee. The King's Lady said I get to do the commentutoring today. Guess what? I have a cousin named Rawkawesome! I didn't know it was a word, too. Poor Rawkawesome. He hates words. I don't know whats a paintball gun is, but I don't think you should steal all of the King's pants. The King's Lady stole his pants once when the King was sleepin' and it didn't make him very happy.**

**Contraltissimo: Hi! I's Squyshee. The King's Lady said that I could do the commentstipation this time. There was this one time when the King's Lady brought an 'energy drink' to the Underground and Blrphroomcktin the goblin found it and drank it all up. You talk like he did after that. Did you drinks one of the King's Lady's 'energy drinks' or is yous just really, really, really happy?

* * *

**

**I don't know any musics from Aboveground... But I can sing a song!**

**"Squyshee is a goblin!**

**He really, really, really is!**

**He does stuffs like a goblin does,**

**'Cause he is a goblin!**

**Lalalalala!"**

* * *

Squyshee's Story 

As told by Squyshee the Goblin and transcribed by Wren Neilson

Dear Peoples,

Hi! My name is Yxroppmffglrn. I also have another name. I'm not sure why I have two names, but it makes me feel happy inside, so you can call me Squyshee.

Guess what? I am the most cutest goblin in the Goblin Kingdom. I know so 'cause the King's Lady said so to me. She is really, really, really nice and always says nice stuff to me. I am her most favoritest goblin. She didn't say that to me, but I think I am anyway.

The King's Lady writes really neat stories about her and the Goblin King. I know so 'cause the King has a special book in his library where he puts all of her stories when she writes them. He is always sittin' in his library readin' that book with a big grin on his face when he has had a bad day. I like that book 'cause now the King likes to read that instead of kick goblins. I am also the King's most favoritest goblin. I know so 'cause he liked to kick me the mostest.

The King's Lady doesn' know about the King's special book. I know so 'cause whenever she talks about her stories to him he gets all grumpy and tells her she should be spendin' time doin' stuff with him instead of writin' stories, but I know he really likes her stories 'cause of the way he smiles when he reads 'em.

One day, when the King was visitin' his Lady, I snucked into the library and got the book myself. If the King knew I did that he'd get really, really, really mad, so don't tell him. I got the book and I sat on the floor ('cause even if I got the King's most favoritest book, I wasn't gonna sit in the King's most favoritest chair- no way!). It took me a long time, but I read the whole first chapter all by myself. I know how to read 'cause the King told one of the Hobgoblins to teach me, since I'm such a good goblin for kickin'. But I'm not very good at it, 'cause goblins don't write a lot of stuff.

The next time I saw the King's Lady, and she wasn't with the King, I told her how good I thoughted that her story was. I didn' tell her how I read it though- nope, nope. She asked me but I didn't say anythin' at all, I even put my hands over my mouth so that I couldn't accident'lly tell her about the King's special book. I think she figured it out though, 'cause she got this really smart and sneaky look on her face. At first I was kind of ascared, 'cause whenever the King gets a look like that it usually means he's gonna kick somebody. But the King's Lady is nice and she never kicks anybody, ever.

Instead, she patted me on the head and told me, "Thank you, Squyshee. I'm glad you like my story." And she also said, "Did you know that sometimes Jareth writes chapters for my story, too?" I told her that I thought that was really neat and that I betted that the Goblin King's stories were full of lots of kickin' and stompin' and stuff. I said that I wished that I could write a story, but if I did that it wouldn't have any kickin' at all. Guess what? The King's Lady said that that was a really good idea and that if I wanted I could write a chapter of her story and she would even help me! The King's Lady is the most nicest lady in the whole Underground. I bet she's the most nicest in the whole Aboveground, too, but the only time I ever went there all I saw was a bunch of rows of big boxes. It was really confusing but really, really, really fun when the King's Lady chased me around the boxes.

The King's Lady said that she thought it would be a good idea if I told the story about the time she came to the Underground and the King was really busy so she played with me instead. It was really, really fun because it was the first day that is snowed in that whole year. The King's Lady was really, really, really excited because it doesn't snow very much where she lives so she doesn't get to play in the snow very much. I thought that was sad so I thought I should make it the best playin' she had ever had.

This is the story...

Once uponed a time it was snowin' really, really, really hard. The snowflakes were all big and wet and fluffy and perfect for playin' in. I was really, really happy 'cause I likes the snow and it hadn't snowed in a long, long, long time. I was lookin' all 'round for my ear muffs but I couldn' find them. I looked under my bed (which is the most bestest bed in the whole castle 'cause it's down by the big furnacing thing that makes it all hot and comfy) and I looked behind the clocks (the King has lots and lots and lots of clocks, but I don't know why) and I looked in the kitchen (but the kitchen goblins all chased me out 'cause I forgot about my ear muffs and tried to get a sneaky taste of dinner) but I couldn't find them _anywhere_. So I decided to look in the throne room and guess what? That's when the King's Lady arrived!

She popped out of thin air, like the King always does, but she didn't have the sparkly-sparkles like him. That made me kind of sad 'cause I like the sparkly-sparkles. But I guess you have to be the King to have the sparkly-sparkles. Poor King's Lady.

"Hi Lady!" I said. I used to be ascared to talk to the King's Lady, but now I'm not. She said that I could talk to her whenever ever I wanted, so I do! But not when the King's talkin' to her, 'cause then he gets mad at me. He likes to have her all to hisself. But the King wasn't there that day. He was in his study, where nobody but him an' his Lady's allowed to go, doin' some really, really, really important work. He said he was makin' 'treaties' sos we goblins wouldn't get beated up by other peoples. I was kinda sad 'cause I hoped that 'treaties' was good to eat, but I guess not getting' beated up on is good too.

"Hello Squyshee" the King's Lady said. That made me feel happy inside 'cause 'afore the King's Lady came, only the King called me Squyshee. Then the King's Lady asked me where the King was and I told her he was makin' 'treaties' and it was really important and he didn't want to be perturbed. But I thought that maybe the King wouldn't mind if it was the King's Lady who perturbed him, 'cause usually he likes bein' perturbed by her, so I took her to his study. I waited outside, though, cause only the King and the King's Lady is 'llowed in there.

A little while later the King's Lady came back outside. She looked all sad so I figured that the King had said that even she couldn't perturb him today. I told her I was sad that the King was so busy that he couldn't play with her, but she could play with me if she wanted to. This maded her look kinda more happy so then I told her I was gonna go play in the snow and then she looked super happy.

She said, "It's snowing? I didn't know it snowed in the Underground!" I thought this was kinda stupid, 'cause of course it snows in the Underground, but I didn't tell her that. The King gets really, really mad when people say bad things about the King's Lady. Like this one time, Snrfflmkrowb said that he thoughted that the King's Lady wasn't as pretty as that other girl the King liked and the King locked him in a forgetty-hole for three weeks and yelled and yelled that the King's Lady was exactly perfectly perfect just the way she was.

I think that the King was right, too. Like how the King's Lady has pretty, soft hair and how her feet are way bigger than that other girl's. The King's Lady almost has goblin feet! I think she's the most prettiest lady I ever sawed.

So then I told her that I couldn't go out in the snow without my ear muffs and that I thought she should probably not go out in the snow without some warmerer clothes too. She was gonna go back to her house in the Aboveground and get a coat but I told her that she shouldn't do that 'cause the King had gotted her a coat when he had gotted her all those pretty, pretty dresses for when she came to visit him. This made the King's Lady really happy but it also made her blush, too. I don't know why, but I thought it was funny and I giggled. That made her blush even more.

Guess what? My ear muffs were in the King's Lady's room! I don't know how they gotted there, because I don't go in there very much. Sometimes I go in to clean, 'cause the King likes to keep it ready in case the King's Lady ever wants to stay there, and sometimes I go in to look at her pretty, pretty things (but I doesn't touch them) and sometimes I go in there to hide when the bigger goblins are bein' mean to me and sometimes I go in there just 'cause it smells pretty, but that's not very much. So I don't know how they got there. Or my yo-yo, neither.

So I putted on my ear-muffs and the King's Lady putted on her coat. It was really pretty. It was all white and soft like fur, but it wasn't really. The King's Lady snuggled her cheek against it and made happy sounds and said that it reminded her of the King's wings when he turned into an owl. That made her blush too, but she put the coat on anyway and said that it was really nice and really warm. She even found gloves and ear muffs of her own in the pockets, and they were white and matched the coat and everything.

We wented out to her most favoritest garden behind the castle. It had snowed a whole, whole lot. It was almost up to my tummy. It only went up to above the King's Lady's shoe, but they weren't very warm shoes so she shivered and made squealy sounds. She must not have been too upset by it, though, 'cause her face was all happy and her eyes almost had sparkly-sparkles as she looked at the bushes all covered up in snow.

I asked the King's Lady what she wanted to play and she said that she didn't know. She said it had been a long time since she'd played in the snow and she was out of practice. She asked what goblins did when they played in the snow. I jumped up and down and told her about all the most bestest goblin games like "Dump Snow Down the Goblin's Shirt" and "Steal the Goblin's Ear Muffs", but the King's Lady didn't seem very excited about those games.

The King's Lady looked like she was thinkin' about it and she reached down and picked up some of the snow. I watched her make a ball in her hand and I thought that was neat so I picked up some snow and made a ball, too. The King's Lady looked at my ball and then she looked at her ball and then she looked at my ball and then she looked at her ball and then she said, "I know! Let's make a snowman!"

I jumped up and down and said, "Yeah!" I thinks that the King's Lady was almost gonna jump up and down too. She was really, really, really excited. Then I said, "What's a snowman?" and she didn't look as excited anymore. She told me that she'd show me what a snowman was and that all I had to do was make my snowball as biggest big as I could make it and she'd make hers as biggest big as she could make hers and we'd make a snowman.

I tolded her that I could do that and started scoopin' up as much of much of snow as I could. When I had my whole entire arms full in one big snowball, I looked at the King's Lady. Her snowball was really, really, really big! It was so big that it didn't even fit in her arms anymore, and her arms is way, way bigger than mine. Her snowball was so big that she was rollin' it around on the ground and guess what? When she rolled it in the snow it got even more bigger! So I putted my snowball on the ground and started rolling it too. The King's Lady's magic worked on my snowball, too, and it got even bigger, too.

I rolled and rolled and rolled my snowball all around and around. It gots so big that I couldn't see over it anymore. It still wasn't as big as the King's Lady's snowball, but she's the King's Lady so I didn't think I'd be able to do anything as big as that. I looked at the King's Lady and guess what? Now she had _two_ snowballs! Both of them was bigger than my snowball. The King's Lady is really smart and makes the most bestest snowballs ever.

The King's Lady said that she thought our snowballs was big enough now, so she stacked them up and she put mine right on the tippity-top. Then she found some rocks and made a face on it and some sticks for arms. It was really, really neat! It looked like a big human made out of snow and rocks and sticks. I jumped up and down and said that it was the most bestest thing I had ever helped make and the King's Lady grinned and grinned.

Then the King's Lady stood back from the snowman and frowned at it. I was sad 'cause I thought that maybe I hadn't done it right and the snowman wasn't good but then she said that it just needed some decoration. I knew all about decoration! One time I had decorated my most favoritest chicken, Deener, but then the King got mad at me cause Deener got into his bedroom and got green paint chicken footprints all over the bed and the floor and the walls and the closet and everything. I thought it looked really pretty, but the King thought it looked like I needed to get kicked, so I did.

I asked the King's Lady if she wanted my paints for the snowman and she said no, but then she stopped and her eyes got that sneaky and smart look in them and she said that yes, she would like the paints. So I ran to get the paints. I knew where they was, too, 'cause I had found 'em when I was lookin' for my ear muffs.

When I got back, the King's Lady was gettin' back too. I guess she went and gotted something from the castle while I was getting' my paints. She had a big bag of somethin' bundled up under her arm, but she didn't show me what it was. First she went and gotted some long leaves that had turned all yellow and hard when it snowed. She putted those on top of the snowman's head and she used my paints on the snowman's eyes, and then she opened up her bundle and it wasn't a sack at all! She put it around the snowman's body and it was actually one of the King's capes! I was really ascared, 'cause the King doesn't like anybody touchin' his clothes unless they're washin' 'em or shinin' his boots or somethin'.

The King's Lady was grinnin' and grinnin'. She pulled my hands off of my eyes (I had put 'em there 'cause I was ascared that the King was gonna come and kick us for touchin' his cape) and told me to look at the snowman and tell me who it looked like. When I looked, I had to put my hands over my mouth so that I didn't giggle. The yellow plants had made spiky and long hair and the King's Lady had painted lines by the rock-eyes and it was wearing the King's cape. It looked like a snow-King! I was tryin' so hard not to giggle that I fell down in the snow and rolled 'round and 'round. This made the King's Lady laugh a lot and whenever she looked at the snowman, she laughed harder. "All he needs is glitter," she said.

I tried so hard not to giggle at the snow-King that I got really, really tired. I layed down in the snow gaspin' and starin' up at the sky. More snowflakes was fallin' and I thought it was really pretty. I was kind of ascared when there was a big THUMP next to me, but then I figured out that it was the King's Lady. She was layin' in the snow and lookin' up at the sky, too. She was really quiet, so I didn't say anything either.

After a little while, I was startin' to wonder if maybe the King's Lady had fallen asleeps or somethin'. I looked over at her and she was smilin' but she also looked kinda sad. This made me feel sad and I don't like to feel sad so I thought I'd have to make her happy again. I was tryin' to think of how I could do that when the King's Lady suddenly flung her arms and legs apart. I thought she was really mad 'cause sometimes the King does that when he's mad (though usually he has better aim and hits me or one of the other goblins and the King's Lady only hitted snow) but then she started laughin' and wavin' her arms up and down.

"What's you doin?" I asked, squirmin' away in case she had gone crazy in the head. I had seen chickens go crazy in the head before. All of a sudden they just start doin' strange things like flappin' around and screechin' and stuff. Usually it happens when me or one of the other goblins sets 'em on fire or somethin'. I don't understand it at all.

The King's Lady wasn't goin' crazy in the head, though. She laughed and said that she was makin' a snow angel. I didn't know what a snow angel was, so I stood up to look, but I saw somethin' else instead. As I was getting' up, I saw the King lookin' down out of the window to his study. He had the same smile and kinda sad look that his Lady had had earlier.

I was really, really, really ascared. The King was smilin' but maybe that was 'cause he hadn't seen the snow-King yet. I got up really quick and ran to hide under one of the snow-covered bushes. The King's Lady sat up and looked all confused. "Squyshee?" she said, "Where did you go?"

I didn't answer 'cause I saw that the King had stopped looking sad and had started lookin' like he does when he decides somethin' important. Like if somebody got in his way they'd definitely get the biggest kick ever. I wondered if I could bury myself in the snow and maybe he would think I was a snow-goblin to go with the snow-King.

Just like I thought, a few seconds later the King came down from the castle in a cloud of sparkly-sparkles. The King's Lady hadn't noticed that he was there yet. She was still lookin' for me and callin' my name. I wished that she wouldn't 'cause I didn't want the King to know I had helped make the snow-King.

The King was lookin' at the snow-King with a funny look on his face. It kinda looked like he wanted to be mad but he couldn't cause he was tryin' too hard not to laugh. "I do hope that is not intended to be _my_ likeness," he said. The King's Lady got all surprised and fell down in the snow. She twisted 'round to look at him and she had the same look on her face, like she wanted to be mad but couldn't 'cause she was tryin' too hard not to laugh.

I was startin' to feel maybe a little bit less ascared that the King would be mad and maybe I could come out, but then the King's Lady did something _terrible!_

I wanted to put my hands over my eyes sos I wouldn't have to look, but I was too ascared to move. The King looked like he couldn't move either. He just stood there with big, big eyes and his mouth kinda half-opened and the snowball that the King's Lady had throwed at him dripping down his hair. The King's Lady is the most bravest person I know, 'cause she didn't look ascared at all. She giggled.

I was really, really, really sad, 'cause I like the King's Lady. She's nice and she plays with me. I didn't want her to be thrown in a forgetty-hole or the Bog of Lots and Lots and Lots of Stinkiness. I was gonna miss her.

But guess what? The King didn't even yell at her! He got that sneaky and smart look on his face and he ducked down to get a snowball of his own! The King's Lady squealed and tried to run behind one of the bushes, but she wasn't fast enough. PLOP! The King's snowball hitted her right on her tushy as she tried to runned away.

I never knowed what a 'war' was. The King told me about 'em once. He said they're really bad and that he works really hard to keep 'em away from the Goblin Kingdom. After the King hitted her on the tushy, the King's Lady looked at him really mean and also really playful, which I didn't understand how she could do that, and said, "Oh, now it's war!"

I'm really happy that the King keeps 'war' away from the Goblin Kingdom. It looked really, really, really scary! There was snowballs flyin' every this way and every that way! I stayed all safe under my bush, but I still got hitted by one. I thinks that the King's Lady was gonna try the game I told her about, "Dump Snow Down the Goblin's Shirt," 'cause she grabbed a really big pile of snow and ran at the King. I never tolded the King's Lady that you're only 'apposed to play that game with goblins and not Goblin King's. Not ever, ever with Goblin King's. But I guess the King already knew about that game, 'cause he moved really sneaky out of her way as she ran by and then grabbed her 'round the waist from behind.

They spunned around a couple of times and the King's Lady dropped her snow. Then they both fell in the snow and I betted that they both got snow down their shirts, so I thought that was a silly thing to do. The King was laughin' really hard, but he didn't let go of the King's Lady's waist. It looked like she was laughin' too hard too, 'cause instead of tryin' to get away, she twisted around and wrapped her arms 'round him too.

They layed like that for a long time with their arms 'round each other in the snow. I was layin' in the snow and I was really cold, but they didn't look cold. I don't know why. Finally, the King kissed the top of the King's Lady's head and said, "Well, dearling, what do you say? A draw?"

She snorted and turned her faced away from him. She sounded a lot like the King when she said, "I think it's obvious that I kicked your butt." I think the King's Lady must have really, really powerful magic. I know so 'cause he didn't get mad at her _again_. Instead he laughed some more and put his fingers on her chin to make her look at him. Then he kissed her real good. I covered my eyes with my hands, but I should have covered my mouth with my hands 'cause I giggled.

"Squyshee, there you are!" I hearded the King's Lady say. I didn' really want to, but I took my hands away from my eyes. They were still layin' in the snow, but the King's Lady was grinnin' at me. The King wasn't. I put my hands over my eyes again.

I hearded the King sigh and I hearded them move around a little. The King said, "I suppose we had better get you inside…" Then his voice got all ascared and he said, "You will not be harmed by our time in the snow as you were by our time in the sun at Lunari Lake, will you?" That ascared me too and I peeked 'tween my fingers.

The King and the King's Lady had both stooded up but they still had their arms 'round each other. I couldn't really figure out how they did that. She giggled a little an' gave him a squeezy hug. She said, "No, GK. I'm fine. If I were out in the snow overnight or something I could get frostbite, I guess, but not after this long."

The King looked really grumpy then and said, "You mortals are far too delicate and susceptible to… to… to everything!" I thoughted that he was mad at her, but instead he pulled her real close in his arms and glared at the snow like he wanted to kick it.

The King's Lady looked like she was tryin' to be very serious but actually was tryin' not to giggle again and said, "Well I suppose that, just to be safe, we had better follow the mortal post-playing-in-the-snow tradition."

The King got that sneaky and smart look in his eyes like he knew that she was still playin' with him and said, "And what do mortals do after they play in the snow?"

The King's Lady's eyes got really big and happy and she said, "Drink hot chocolate! Come on, Squyshee, let's go inside!"

The King looked really, really grumpy that his Lady had tolded me to come drink hot chocolate with them. Like I said, the King likes to have the King's Lady all to himself. Or maybe it was 'cause I gotted to sit in the study with them, where goblins aren't 'apposed to go. Like I said, the King's Lady must have really, really powerful magics. I know so 'cause he never gets mad at her and he can't never tell her no.

I was sittin' on the floor and feelin' really, really nice and warm from the fire and the hot chocolate in my tummy. I'd never had hot chocolate 'afore and it was probably the most yummiest thing I'd ever had. The King and the King's Lady were sittin' in two big, comfy-lookin' chairs. They were really quiet, just lookin' at the fire and at each other.

I thoughted that it was too quiet and that somebody should say somethin', so I did. I looked at the King's Lady and said, "Guess what, Lady?"

The King's Lady smiled at me, lookin' really soft and happy. She asked, "What, Squyshee?"

I gave her my most biggest grin. I said, "I like you! You're my most favoritest person after the King. You're really, really pretty and you're really, really nice and you're really, really fun to play with. But do you know the most biggest reason I like you?"

They were both smilin' at me and the King's Lady said, "What is the most biggest reason?"

"It's 'cause you make the King really, really, really happy. I never sawed him laugh so much or smile so much as when he was playin' with you. I wish you could stay here all the time and forever."

Neither the King or the King's Lady said anything. They both just turned bright, bright red and didn't look at each other for a long, long time. But they were both smilin' really, really, really, really big.

That's the end of my story. After that the King decided that it was time for him to have the King's Lady all to hisself again and he made me go out of the study. He didn't kick me out or anything, though! So I went to look for my most favoritest chicken Deener and I don't know what the King and the King's Lady did.

And they all lived happily ever after. The end.

**Transcriber's Note: Um… Ok, I _think_ that's what he said. There were a lot of constanants involved.**


	28. Happy Halloween!

**Disclaimer: I think you all know the drill by now. Wren is mine, so are the members of her family and whatnot, but anything remotely related to the Labyrinth is not. **

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****Sammi C.: Isn't he so cute? I love Squyshee. Man, some characters just beg to be written. Heh.**

**Yami Moon: yay! I'm glad you like Squyshee. He's such fun to put out in literary form. Hee!**

**Nikki: Well, I suppose Wren and Jareth were so sad because they weren't together… him stuck up in his study and all. And there's no war – Jareth works so very hard to keep it that way! I'm so thrilled you like the story – I like it, too, and it sure does make me smile to hear others like it as well. **

**Anij: Phew! I wish I didn't have to sleep - then this fic most definitely would be updated more.**

**Contraltissimo: From what I hear, he loves to get hugs, too. Hee.**

**DanikaLarenya: You WOULD say that, wouldn't you? My, my, my...**

**Notwritten: Aww, thank you!!! I DO like snow, since I don't see if very often. It doesn't snow much, here where I live... very warm... have to travel to see the white stuff...**

**Opaaru Tsuki: Yay! Cavities! Ahahahaha!!! **

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****Music recommendations: **

**_Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead_ by Barbra Streisand and Harold Arlen – this is a fun little song for Halloween, don't you think? And check out the line about "She's gone where the goblins go, below!"**

**_Scary Monsters, Super Creeps _by David Bowie - Fitting, I'd say.**

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****Hey everyone! I'm back! Yeehaw! Heh… looks like there's been a bit of silliness going on around here… hope no one minds. Nanoing was awesome, but no matter how hard I try, I am still completely absorbed with this fic, and feel the constant badgering to update it. You can all send your thank-you emails to Danika for that… she's the one badgering me! Aaaaahhhh!**

**Okay quick note regarding this fic before we dive in for some fun. First off, I began writing this as a random piece of nothing, hoping for some honest to goodness random fun… but plot, as usual, has gotten in the way. Look at what's happening! This story is developing! What the heck am I to do with it???? Ah, well, just continue, I guess. But, point is, I am still going to have my odd and out-of-sequence chapters… kinda like this one.**

**So, that being said, how about we step back a little ways, and have a little… Trick or Treat! Ahahahaha!!! For those who don't recall, I was sooo wrapped up in finishing a mungo plot line before November, there wasn't time for Halloween! Gasp!**

**Enjoy!**

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I squealed and leapt out of my computer chair, nearly knocking it over, doing my happy dance around the room. **

Now, mind you, I know my room. Sure, it's a little messy, but I still have plenty of room to get around. I also know my happy dance. When I'm overly excited, I know what I do. Put those two together, and I _still_ know them. I know where to dance in my room, and where not to – I'm not _that_ stupid.

So, I'm sure you could imagine my surprise when, in passing the foot of my bed and bean bag chair, my feet caught on something and tripped me, out of the blue. Normally, there was nothing there.

Okay… fine… so there wasn't always something there… but now, I suppose, there was something that tended to occupy that area with increasing frequency.

Or, I should say, someone.

Thankfully, that someone, who I should really just expect to be occupying my bean bag chair, was quite gallant, and swooped me into his arms before I flattened my face on the floor.

"Hi Jareth," I said, looking up at him, somewhat sheepishly. How the heck had he turned me around so that I was now looking up at the ceiling? Meh. I don't know.

Long strands of hair fell over my forehead as he regarded me, a bemused expression on his face. "Hello, my Wren. Am I correct in assuming the carelessly spasmodic jig you were just performing was your so called, 'happy dance'?"

I blew a puff of air out of the corner of my mouth, moving one of the strands of his hair away from my cheek where it was tickling me. "Do you really need to ask?"

He smiled down at me (was it just me, or did he smile at me more and smirk less?) and began toying with my own hair. "And what, pray tell, has you in such a delighted mood?"

I grinned. "Four sentences."

He frowned, "Pardon?"

I gave a little squeal and leapt up out of his arms, going back to my computer. "Four sentences! I got a four sentence review from notwritten!"

I sat in my chair and scooted up to the screen. Jareth reluctantly got up from his place in my purple chair and stooped behind me, looking over my shoulder at my monitor. "Oh, more of this nonsense…"

I leveled a glare at him, "Nonsense? Excuse me?"

He smirked and pecked my cheek, "I say that in the kindest way, my dearling."

"Sure you do," I grumbled. "Well, you may see this as silliness, but I have fun with it, and I love reviews. I mean, seriously! Look at this," I touched my finger to the screen, indicating the few words. "Four sentences! It's… amazing! Unheard of!"

He frowned at the screen, "I would hardly call those sentences. They are barely two words apiece! That one," he reached a hand over my shoulder, and touched a section of the screen, a little ways down, "Is far more impressive."

I shrugged, "Well, yeah, I know, but I always get lovely long reviews from Anij. Contraltissimo, too. But… notwritten… I feel like I've won an Oscar or something!"

"Oscar," his voice lowered and he stiffened, "Who is this Oscar?"

I rolled my eyes, "It's a golden statue, about a foot tall, GK, not a person. It's a prestigious award… never mind," I spun in my chair and faced him. He was now standing straight, looking down at me.

Have I mentioned how it blows my mind that I'm with him? Its moments like this, where two things happen. One, I look at him and start trying to wrap my mind around the fact that he is the Goblin King, and two, I start thinking about the oddest things you can imagine.

Like… would he look quite so regal if he were dressed up as a cowboy, or something?

"GK," I said, smiling up at him, "Do you want to dress up with me?"

I watched as he cocked his hips and started to say something, but then his eyes bugged as he realized what I had just asked him. He looked very taken aback, "I beg your pardon?"

My face went red and I snorted. I'm one of those kinds of people who always realize too late that not every country in the world, or culture, for that matter, celebrates all the same holidays. Little stupid things like that. If I'd said that to anyone else, especially with Halloween being one week away, they would have known exactly what I was talking about. Jareth, though, may not be that familiar with Halloween. I was a nerd, and had competely not thought of that.

"Um," I coughed, "You know about Halloween, right?"

He pursed his lips in thought, "Oh, that would he All Hallows Eve? Yes?"

I smiled, "So you _have_ heard of it,"

"The harvest festival, yes, I have, but… what does dressing have to do with it?"

I shrugged, "I think, way back when, dressing up in costumes was how people believed they could blend in with the evil spirits that roamed the earth on that night… something like that. Now, though, people dress in costumes and go to parties and give out candy and have a load of fun! Do you want to dress up with me?"

He looked genuinely confused, "In costume?"

I nodded, "Yeah! We could go as a couple! Oh," I looked upwards, feeling slightly dreamy, and sighed, "I've always wanted to dress as a couple. Never had someone to dress with, though, until now."

But, somehow, Jareth did not look as excited about Halloween as I did.

Then he smirked, "Costume? Very well. I shall dress as the Goblin King."

I snorted and crossed my arms over my chest, "That's a no."

He gave me his pouty face, "Why not?"

I gritted my teeth, "Because, GK, everyone would expect me to be _Sarah_."

His eyes widened and I saw the recognition in them. But then he gave me a wide grin, "Come now, Wren. You need not be Sarah… you could be my goblin."

One of my eyebrows lifted as I frowned at him, "Do you make it a practice to regularly kiss your goblins?"

He pulled a disgusted face. I laughed, "Didn't think so."

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Pretty quickly, we realized that simply choosing a couple to dress as wasn't as easy at is sounded. 

I thought it would be fabulous to go as something outrageous and fun, like Tarzan and Jane. I reasoned that his hair would be perfect, and he's got a great chest to go shirtless. Jareth countered that Tarzan, to his knowledge, did not wear gloves, and he simply refused to go without them.

Jareth, in turn, thought it would be rather fitting for us to go as Hades and Persephone, from Greek mythology. He said that, being a ruler of a kingdom in the Underground, he could do a smashing Hades. I countered that I did not want to go as a flower girl… and besides, Persephone didn't like Hades, as far as I could remember. Plus, that was my sister's name.

He came back quickly, suggesting what he called, 'an Aboveground classic', Romeo and Juliet. Okay, I flatly refused. I _hate_ Romeo and Juliet. I like Shakespeare, I do, but not that play. It's overdone, cliché. That's the first thing people think of. And, besides that, they both DIE. That's not something I want to spend a night as, thank you very much.

So, I suggested us going as Sonny and Cher – but pointed out that because he was so much taller than me, he'd have to be Cher. Truth was, I really wanted to see him in a wig and dress. I _almost_ got him to agree to that… but then he insisted that I show him a picture of Sonny and Cher before he agreed. Once he saw them, he flatly refused, on two counts. One, he did not want to have long black hair, and two, he did not want to see me wearing a mustache.

On that instance, I chose _not_ to think too hard about how he didn't have any objections to the idea of dressing in drag, in general, but merely on the long, black hair.

"Ooh! Ooh!" I said, bouncing up and down on my bed, "We could go as Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask!" I was only half serious with that one, because in all reality, you wouldn't catch me dead wearing that short of a skirt.

Jareth just blinked at me a few times, then changed the subject.

So, we discussed the situation a little more. Finally, I had a suggestion that Jareth seemed to like.

"Okay, so what about this," I said, seriously wracking my brain for something that would work. This was very much a shot in the dark. "How about, instead of dressing as a couple, we chose each other's costumes?" an image of me, standing in an endless sea of ruffles came to mind, "Um, but, you know, with a few stipulations… or something…"

This intrigued Jareth. He turned to me, now with an appraising eye. He looked me up and down, thinking carefully. Just to be cheeky, I stood and turned around in a circle for him to see me better. He laughed, but became quiet as he was thinking.

As I turned, my eyes fell on my CD rack… oh, I had the best idea ever!

I whirled around, "Jareth! I know! You can be-"

He raised a hand up, cutting me off, "If you even so much as think about suggesting I dress as that… that… that Dylan Buford fellow-"

"_David_ _Bowie_!" I all but screeched, "How in the _world_ can you be so bad with names?!"

"-then I _swear_, Wren, I _will_ force you to go as Lady Godiva!"

I was going to say something, but I knew he was rather serious about that. I smiled and bit my lip, "Okay, then, nothing Bowie-fied. What would you prefer I choose for you?"

He thought about it then lifted his nose in the air, "Something… royal, if you can manage it."

I snickered, "Oh, I think I can… and for my costume, all I ask is that you keep the ruffles to a minimum."

His jaw fell a little, in obvious disappointment, but he quickly clamped his teeth together and said nothing further.

Still feeling cheeky, I quickly sat myself down on his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck. This drew an amused smile on his lips, and he wasted no time in wrapping his arms around my waist and drawing me closer.

"Now, Wren, that I have agreed to participate in this, would you tell me what it is we will be doing, once we have donned our costumes?"

I rested my head on his shoulder. I liked his shoulders. "Well, Allie invited me to come to the Halloween block party her neighborhood is holding. She says it will be a huge event. Loads of fun. There will be lots of dancing and music and food and games… what do you think?"

He shrugged, lifting my head slightly as he did so, "As long as I do not lose you in the crowd, I suppose that should not be… unpleasant. Who is Allie choosing to dress her self as?"

I opened my mouth and started to say, but suddenly a crazy idea occurred to me… Oh, yes, I knew who Allie was going to be for Halloween. I knew she'd been working on it non stop for quite some time… it was a very elaborate costume with loads of details… I looked at Jareth, imagining… a very crazy idea forming in my head. I wondered what Allie would do if I…

"Jareth, there's someone else we need to invite to this party."

* * *

"Are you serious?" I didn't mean to sound incredulous. I was just… a little weirded out by Jareth's choice. 

He raised an eyebrow at me, "I thought you enjoyed this character."

I sighed, "I do, don't get me wrong, I really do… I just didn't think…"

"That I would choose it?" He gave me his flashy grin, "You were the one that absolutely insisted I watch those films with you."

"I know, but…"

"And," he said, pointedly, "You forbade me from choosing anything with ruffles, did you not?"

"Well, yes, I did…"

"Then here you go," he said with ceremony, draping the dress and accessories across my outstretched arms – which, for the record, had not been outstretched in welcoming my costume, but in pleading against it. Dear me.

What had he given me? A white dress with loose, open sleeves that went down to my wrists and up to my neck with a relatively thick collar. It swept down to the floor and had white boots. It was a loose dress and had a simple metal belt that went with it… though, the dress was really loose enough to hide the belt. Can you guess what it was? I couldn't either, until he showed me the final accessory.

A wig. A dark brown wig, almost black, parted in the middle and taken into two buns on each side of the head. Can you guess NOW?

Yes, that's right. He'd picked Princess Leia. But, not the cute and cool Leia costumes… no, he'd chose the first one. Don't get me wrong, I liked Princess Leia… but the bun-headed thing? It gave me an eye twitch.

My only consolation was in the costume I'd picked for him. Well, that and the fact that he could have chosen the metal bikini for me.

I handed him the hanger with as much flourish as he had handed me mine. He took one look at it, glared at me, and jabbed a finger in my direction.

"I said NO Darren Bonnie!" he said, angrily.

I frowned. "I didn't get you a Bowie costume… trust me, it would be a heck of a lot more colorful if I had."

His face fell and he looked at the costume with fear, "But… this is skin-tight, with silver sequins, strange shoes," those were on the floor, and I'd pointed them out to him after I'd handed him the fabric, "Absurd hair and… and… optical protection! You cannot tell me this is NOT one of his costumes!"

I sighed, but smiled. "Oh, GK, this isn't Bowie, I swear!"

"Then what is it!" he wailed, helplessly.

I grinned, wickedly, "It's Elvis! The _King_ of Rock and Roll!"

* * *

"Wren, I look absurd." 

I elbowed him as we walked down the street, "If I have to wear these buns on my head, GK, then YOU can tolerate that," I scoffed, "And come on, it's not all that different from what you usually wear!"

He gave an indignant _harrumph_, "I beg the differ!" he looked down at his costume and pulled a face, which was half-obscured by the large, rhinestone glasses he wore… and the black wig – which had been a pain to get on him, and hide all of his wild hair underneath. He wore the classic white bell bottomed Elvis suit, opened wide to expose his chest and simply covered with sparkles. And large shoes. Hee. He looked almost nothing like himself – and I adored it. And it also came with a totally fun purple half cape.

But, then, I frowned and looked around, "Hey, GK, are you sure you invited-"

He waved a hand at me, "Yes, I did… now," he looked over the massive crowd that was filling the street, "Where is Allie?"

I looked around carefully… the block party really was quite crowded. Filled to the brim with people (a great deal of them appeared to be pirates, something that made me glad neither Jareth nor I had chosen a pirate costume for the other… even though I would DIE to see him in the Ziggy-pirate suit…) and loud music playing… people were dancing and having a good time. There were booths set up in all the front yards that lined the street, each booth offering a game or snack or something of the like. Allie said something about it being sponsored by the Home Owner's Association… it helped raise money? Something like that. I wasn't sure.

But, long story short, Allie's parents were running a booth, and I knew her house. I figured that would be a good place to start looking for her.

I motioned for Jareth to follow me.

We started to cut straight through the crowd of people who were dancing to the booming music, but I soon realized a problem.

Some girl nearly tripped on the guy she was dancing with when she spotted what I am sure she thought was the hottest Elvis since the actual one. I gave her a glare, ignored Jareth's smirk, and took a firm hold of his hand to pull him along.

But, oh, no, the troubles didn't stop there.

About ten seconds later, Jareth yelped and threw several frantic glances over his shoulder. I raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"

He looked utterly scandalized, "Someone pinched me!"

I nearly had to swallow my own fist to keep from laughing hysterically. I took his hand and led on.

Two more 'inappropriate caresses', as he was referring to them, and one blatant ogle later, we'd made it through the dance crowd. I saw the booth out front of Allie's parents' home, and hurried there before someone flatly attacked him, or something.

I found Allie, standing nearby, refilling a water cooler. I pointed to her, "There she is, Jareth."

Allie heard me, and turned around. She had seemed to be about to say something, most likely a greeting, but burst out in hysterical laughter at the sight of the two of us. I couldn't blame her – we really were a sight. We were both wearing white with dark wigs. When else could you see Elvis escorting Princess Leia? A chubby Leia, at that?

Allie, though, looked incredible. Her costume was _awesome_, but then again, I'd seen pictures of her previous Halloween costumes, and they always were really cool. Probably since the age when she'd been old enough to wield scissors on her own.

She was wearing a pale green dress with metal fittings and pieces of armor on the shoulders. She had long gloves of the same pale green and several pieces on the dress that had intricate patterns on it… her long hair was down her back and she wore a kind of crown that came down on her forehead with jewels and other bits of finery on it – yes, she made it herself. I'd seen her working on it. But, the coolest part was her ears. She had fake pointed ears stuck on her own – and they looked very real. Real enough, anyway.

I squealed when I saw the full, final project. She was very much Princess Zelda.

"Princess Leia!" she said coming forward. We had a typical moment between two people with interesting costumes, where we each explained our stuff and whatnot. Allie told me about her costume, I told her the deal I'd made with Jareth and why he'd chosen Leia for me.

Jareth, when Allie turned to him to ask about his Elvis costume, said simply, "I have a cape. And sequins."

I glared at him, "You can stop sulking, you know."

Allie laughed though, and lightly patted him on the shoulder, "Ah, Jareth, you make a fabulous Elvis. Far more dashing than… um… the original, even."

This seemed to perk him up. "Oh?"

I let them go on talking for a bit. I was scanning the crowd. Jareth had better have invited…

Allie gasped. I turned around to see what had happened. Her eyes were very large and very round – making me think briefly of an Anime drawing of Zelda or something – and she was looking down the street.

Jareth followed her gaze and gave a sly, knowing smile. You see, I had shown him a picture of Zelda when I'd told him about Allie's costume, and my crazy idea. He'd not heard of the character, so I pulled on up on the internet for him… but, it was a picture of Zelda and Link, together. Jareth stared at it for a long time, and when he'd finished, he was thinking the exact same idea that I was.

And now, as I followed both of their gazes, I was very excited.

Allie's mouth was hanging open a little. I giggled. Strolling down the sidewalk was a tall male form, dressed in gray breeches, a dark green tunic, brown boots and brown gloves. He had a sword slung across his back – I had the sneaky suspicion that it was real – and a shield hung from his belt – I assumed he just didn't want to carry it. Most striking, though was the hair. He did wear a kind of droopy green hat on the crown on his head, but the man had very long golden hair and very prominently pointed ears.

Allie swallowed – I could hear it. She fumbled for my arm still looking at the figure headed in this direction. "Wren…? Wren, do you see…?"

I grinned, "Oh, the guy in green?"

She nodded, "Holy cow… it's… it's…" she made a small squeak when said guy in green turned, spotted us, smiled, walked our way. "He's coming this way! Wren! I swear… it's… Link!"

Even Jareth had a pleased smirk on his face. He looked at Allie, "Actually, that would be…"

I stepped forward and waved at the guy, "Hi Tillan."

Tillan broke out into a large grin and threw his arms out wide in welcome, "Lady Wren!" he said, his rich voice standing out, even over the music. Before I could stop the friendly half-elf, he grabbed me up in a hug.

Elves. No regard for personal space. Jareth's smile faded momentarily, but I quickly peeled myself out of Tillan's grasp and smiled at him. Dang, he was tall. I mean, he was as tall as Jareth was, but… his outfit seemed to make him more so.

"I'm glad you came!" I said to him, cheerily.

He beamed at me and looked around at the crowd briefly, "I thank you, Wren, for the kind invitation! When Jareth contacted me I was overjoyed! I was a bit confused by the attire you requested I wear, but I was not about to decline such a lively request, in the least! I have not been to a… what is this? A… padlock party?"

I snickered, "Block party. You share Jareth's knack for names."

Tillan laughed merrily, "Ah, but that is what _he_ told _me_! Ah! And speaking of our dear Goblin King, where is he?"

I started laughing uncontrollably. Jareth stood just behind me and lifted a gloved hand (white gloves, mind you). "Tillan," he said shortly – as he glared at, of all people, me!

The tall half-elf did a double take, his dark eyes widening in completely raw surprise, "_Jareth_? What in the name of the Underground are you _wearing?_ I was aware you were fond of flashy items but this seems extreme, even for you."

Without a word, Jareth just turned to me and inclined his head, glaring at me over the rim of his shades.

I turned to Tillan, "He's Elvis… ever hear of Elvis?"

Tillan nodded, looking at Jareth appraisingly, "Ah, yes, I see now. Very fine, Goblin King. I especially find the hair to be…" he smirked, "Interesting."

Jareth was about to say something, but there was a giggle from behind us. Allie was still staring at Tillan in shock.

Tillan, though, had already spotted her. His eyes lit up and his smile fell slightly. Instantly, his posture and stance shifted to be more… official? Is that the word? I suppose. He wasn't joking with us, now, he was…

Well, apparently, staring at Allie.

"Lady Wren," he said, not looking at me at all, "I have not been formally introduced to your… companion…"

I grinned, feeling a little embarrassed. "Um, Tillan, this is Allison Wicks… Allie, this is Tillan. He's a friend of Jareth's."

Her eyes bugged a little and she looked at me sharply, "From… from the Underground? Seriously?"

Tillan stepped forward and extended a hand to her, "Lady Allison," he said in a highly formal voice, "I graciously thank you for the extended invitation to your evening festivities and hope that my presence pleases you this night."

"Call me Allie," she said, weakly, taking his hand. When he pressed her gloved hand to his lips she went bright red.

I could help but notice that Tillan was eyeing her ears… I'm sure he wasn't offended or anything, knowing his fascination with the Aboveground and all. I cleared my throat, drawing both of their attentions.

"Okay, Tillan," I said, "The reason I asked you dress like this was for Allie, actually…" Allie went even redder, "She's dressed as Princess Zelda, and since Jareth and I couldn't pick a couple to dress as, I thought she ought to at least have a-"

He snapped his fingers, "Link! Yes!" he said, brightly, "Now I remember!" he laughed for a little bit, "I have studied that game…"

"You have?" I was shocked.

He went a little red in the cheeks, "Ah, yes… Aboveground things fascinate me, you see…"

I nodded, "That's why I thought you'd like to come to the block party."

He reached out and squeezed my hand, briefly. "And for that, I thank you…" he looked down at his costume, "Now that I ponder the concept, I suppose I do look similar to Link, do I not?"

Allie beamed at him, "You… you about the Legend of Zelda?"

Jareth and I looked very surprised when Tillan walked over to Allie and offered her his arm. Allie looked highly embarrassed, but took it and let Tillan lead her down the street, answering her questions and asking plenty of them himself as they went.

Jareth raised an eyebrow at me while smirking. "You were hoping for that. Do not deny it."

I grinned. I came to him and tugged on the open edges of his shirt, "I deny nothing. Look at her, she's thrilled."

Jareth smirked at me, "True. But, now I am thinking you just wanted to get her out of the way."

I eyed him, "What the heck do you mean by that?"

He wrapped his arms around me, "You wanted me all to yourself tonight."

I snorted, "Well, if that had been my plan, which it wasn't, it worked. But it wasn't."

Some lively music came on just as Jareth leaned down to kiss me. I pecked him lightly, promising myself that I'd hunt Tillan and Allie down in a while to make sure she wasn't feeling awkward or anything (though I highly doubted she would be), and looked at the people dancing.

"Hey, Elvis," I said, grinning, "Care to dance a space princess around for a few songs?"

He took my hand and spun me quickly, "Happily," he said, "But I had better not get any more… inappropriate caresses."

I snickered, "Ah, you'll only get them from me, you sexy beast."

"I said _inappropriate_, Wren. Not imaginary."

I snorted and let him lead me out to dance to the music. Can you say, best Halloween, ever? I've got to be the luckiest girl alive. And the happiest. And the most hated, by Elvis fans, everywhere.

Muahaha!

* * *

**Phew! Hm, that kind of stopped abruptly, didn't it? Well, it has to. This wasn't meant to be such a huge chapter! THIS PLOT IS EATING MY SOUL!**

**Be on the lookout for Christmas fun, soon!**

**Until then, do review! Reviews keep me going!!!**

**Much love,**

**Marti**

**Oh, and one more thing: this chapter had a kind of special mention in it to notwritten. It's a thank you, for being my very first reviewer on this story, ever. Hope you enjoyed it!**


	29. A Very GK&I Christmas

**Disclaimer: Um, haven't we been through this? I mean, really now, we've been through this, haven't we? But, whatever. I only own Wren, please do not steal her. Thank you. **

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****DanikaLareyna: Heh, I forgot you were sick during the last chapter... I must have caught my cold from YOU! Aha! An... e-cold? Is that even possible?**

**Anij: Yeah, I can concede that… I'd probably caress him, too. He is, after all, HAWT!**

**Contraltissimo: Yes, Zelda does wear a white dress, but a great friend of mine showed me a drawing of Zelda in which her dress was pale green... Allie seems like a green kinda person, so I opted to go a little less traditional.**

**Notwritten: Oh, you are very welcome, my friend! Thank YOU for reviewing! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas!**

**Yami Moon: Don't worry, I don't think gamers will get too confused. Hee.**

**Sammi C: Hmm, Jack and Sally... I like that idea! Wren will have to lose weight, though, if she's to go as Sally.**

**Nikki: Unfortunately, I can't play video games… I always, somehow, manage to kill myself. –sigh-. But I do like them. I like to watch others play! Alternative lifestyles? Oh, I'm sure there are. They're elves, after all. Kind free spirits, a lot of them are.**

**Opaaru Tsuki: Yes, Elvis. He DID ask for something royal/regal, didn't he? Well... what better than the King? Hee!!**

**Miharu Kawashi: Jareth's parents? Ah, they've already passed on, unfortunately. But... he -does- have a living blood relation... she may show up again, eventually... heh...**

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**Music Recommendations: **

**_Believe_ by Josh Groban – one of my very favorite new Christmas songs. Oh, I love it.**

**_Christmas Eve_ by Celine Dion – Hee. Very fluffy. Very nice.**

**_Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy_ by David Bowie and Bing Crosby – if you have not heard this, you need to go look it up on YouTube, ASAP. It's only the best Christmas Songs ever. Go on, go listen. **

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**And now, on with the story…**

* * *

So, I came to the question, once again. It was the same question I had been debating over for almost an entire month… no, wait, it _had_ been over a month. I had started wondering about it in early November.

I think the problem was that there were so many other questions tied to it. Did the Underground have the same holidays as the Aboveground? Or at least similar? And, if they did, did Jareth celebrate Christmas, or at least the Underground equivalent? What if he was Jewish? Not that that would be a problem if he was, I just… I'd never asked. Was he a religion at all? Did all the beings in the Labyrinth have to be the same religion he was, simply because he was King?

But, the main question I faced was, what do I get Jareth for Christmas?

I was pondering this about one week before Christmas, as I stood in the store, staring at the pre-wrapped holiday bath sets. In particular, I was staring at the large, peach and mango scented set, loofa included. I have no idea why I was staring at them, or even contemplating them at all, really, but… yeah. Some things, even if you don't really intend to _actually_ purchase them, just kinda stand out.

This was my third trip in which I was debating on what to get him. Third! I'd already finished my other shopping, and he was the last on my list. And, believe it or not, he'd started as first. What does one get someone who can get, make, arrange for, or conjure whatever he wants?

That was why on this trip, I had brought in reinforcements: Allie. She was really good at helping with shopping – and, if not in shopping, she could totally be a voice of reason for me.

She pulled up the shopping cart and frowned at me, "Wren… this is barely five isles from where I left you!"

My head drooped and I pinched the bridge of my nose, "I know, Allie, I know! I just… each time I see something, I say, 'oh, he doesn't need that,' or, 'sheesh, what's the point of me getting him anything at all'."

She turned her head to the side and gave me a sympathetic smile, "Ah, Wren, Jareth will like anything you give him, just because it's from you. You know that."

I sighed and looked up at her, "Well, sure he will, but… it's not him. It's me. _I_ want to get him something he'll like, and not just because it came from me, but because he _actually_ likes it. I'm that way about everything!" I paused in my ranting and eyed what she'd gotten in the cart, "Whatcha got there?"

She smiled and pointed to a few things, "Well, I got a few ideas for you to give him… just thought I'd hold onto them in case you wanted them… and," she went a little red, "I had a few things to pick up on my own, anyway…"

I squinted at her, suspiciously, "I thought you finished your shopping last week… or are these things you didn't want your brother to know you were getting?"

She made a small squeal and covered her face in her hands, and didn't say anything for a minute. I knew she'd gone shopping with her younger brother last week, and finished off what she'd needed to get. Her brother's gift had been purchased a week before that, when she'd been with her mother.

So… why do more shopping? I grinned. "Things for anyone I know? Maybe?"

She pulled her hands down, her face very red now, and she swallowed, "Uh, well… I just…" she sighed, "Yes, okay? A tin of shortbread cookies, a green laser pointer key chain, and the board game _Sorry_. It's not that big of a deal… I just thought maybe…"

I smiled as I toyed with the laser pointer, after snatching it from the cart. "I'm sure Tillan will love the cookies and have a lot of fun with this… but what's with _Sorry_?"

She squealed again and covered her face, though this time she spread her fingers to peek at me. "I say it a lot, when I'm nervous. When… on Halloween, when we went walking… I kept saying it. He kept laughing, saying I had no reason to be… I don't know. I thought he'd find it funny."

"Does Tillan visit you?" I asked, honestly curious.

She blushed and turned her head to the side, "Not like Jareth visits you… I mean, we're not… we're not _anything_ like you and Jareth. We're not even a 'we'. He just… he showed up once, before Thanksgiving, to ask me some questions about the holiday and stuff… haven't seen him since…"

I nodded, sensing this topic was a slightly awkward one for her. I turned my attention to some of the other items she'd picked up in the cart: a glass chess set, a hard rubber thing for squeezing to relieve stress, some rubber-band like hair ties and gel inserts for boots.

I snickered at them, "I like your choices… but somehow, they're not quite what I want to get him, you know?"

Allie was eyeing the bath sets, a wicked grin on her face. "Hey, are you going to get a bath set for him?"

I shook my head, "No. Again, it's not quite what I want to get him."

She looked at me, "Mind if I get him one?"

"You want to get the Goblin King a peach and mango bath set?" I half snorted.

She smiled, "Oh yeah. It's funny, he'd probably like it, and… well, it's not _that_ expensive. It's just a little gift. After the other day, I just wanted to get him something."

"The other day?" I eyed her, suddenly, "What happened the other day? Did you talk to Jareth?"

Her eyes went huge, "Um… he had a question… scared the crap out of me the way he just popped into my room like he did, nearly woke the whole house, and I almost fainted with the glitter that went everywhere,"

"It fades," I said, offhandedly.

She nodded, "Yeah, he told me it would. But, it was just a quick question, and then he was on his way, that's all. But, it still kinda, I don't know, made me feel like, hey, he thought enough about me to ask me my opinion, so I ought to get him something for Christmas."

I leaned on the basket and tapped my foot, "What did he want your opinion on?"

Her eyes went wide and she looked around quickly, "Oh, nothing, really… hey, you sure you don't want the chess set?"

Hmm. So Jareth was being sneaky. Interesting. I would let the subject drop. I was never one to dig out information from an innocent person. Knowing Jareth, he'd probably sworn Allie to secrecy, and it wasn't her fault he'd come to her, so I wasn't going to interrogate her over it.

Besides, if said information was _anything_ to do with Christmas, I _did_ want it to be a surprise. I love being surprised, and never, not even once as a kid, snooped around the holidays.

I tucked my suspicious look away and resumed my shopping with Allie.

An hour later, after a mega brain-storming session with Allie as we stood in the curtain isle, an idea came to me. No, it wasn't perfect, it wasn't _exactly_ what I wanted… but then again, I didn't know what it was _exactly_ that I wanted. Allie, though, was excited about it, and said it was perfect.

Five minutes after I found the first gift, I found something else that made me smile. But that one couldn't stand on its own – so we made a side-trip over to another department and picked up the one item that I felt made it all wrap up together.

Yes, three items, none of them too fancy or all that special on their own… but together, they were perfect.

When I'd gotten home, I wrapped the presents right away – in fact, I wrapped them in my parents room, not mine. I had the sneaky feeling that he might be watching my bedroom, waiting for me to get home or something. You could never tell with him.

So, once they were wrapped, I put them under the tree in my front room with all the other gifts my parents had sitting about, and made my way to my room.

I opened the door… and frowned. Something just… wasn't right.

Okay, do you ever get that feeling that someone has been in your stuff? Like… nothing may be missing, or anything like that, but things just aren't where you left them? I'll say the first thing that caught my eye was my shoe-rack. I, for one, am horrible with my shoes… I take them off and sit them near the rack, but I don't always put them on it, until they reach that point where they're everywhere and driving me crazy. I knew full well that I'd left them all over my floor.

Now, though, they were all neatly stacked on the rack. Um, sorta.

I may have been able to have convinced myself that I had, in fact, put all my shoes on the rack, but there was one thing that made it painfully obvious that I had not. What is it, you ask? How about the fact that not one shoe was actually sitting beside its mate. Oh, each left shoe had a right shoe, but I never once paired my dress shoe with the straps with my lace-up boot. Nor did I ever pair a flip-flop with one of my tennis shoes. My work loafers were the only pair actually next to one another – but they weren't paired together. The left one was paired with one of my green Mary Jane slippers, and the other with my gold sequined slip on.

But, they were all there, each accounted for, and very neat.

The second thing that caught my attention was my shirt drawer. I knew full well that I had left my drawer open when I had left my room. But, it was now closed. I opened it and gasped.

All my shirts had been neatly rolled up, but… Okay, when I fold my shirts and place them in my drawer, I put them basically all the same direction, facing forward, you might say. But… they were everywhere. I mean, sure, they were neat, and each rolled up nicely so that I doubted any of them would even wrinkle, but… some were parallel to the front of the drawer and some perpendicular, like some strange brick pattern.

What the heck?

I shut my draw and frowned. Nothing, at that point, seemed out of place…

I looked down, and saw a small stick. It was just lying there on my floor, a slightly crooked stick, no longer than, say, six inches or so. I bent down and retrieved it, eyeing it carefully.

Hmm. It gave me a couple more things to think about, and one more present to buy.

* * *

That night, while finishing up some writing bits I had to complete, Jareth popped into my room. I looked up at him with a smile from my computer as he made himself comfortable on the foot of my bed.

Something about the situation kind of struck me as funny, and I smiled at him, "Hi honey, how was work?"

He raised an eyebrow at me, "And to what do I owe this new, erm, honor of being compared to sticky insect saliva?"

Ew. I pulled a face, "Blech, is that what honey is?"

He shrugged, "Oh, I do not know for certain, but I am sure the dreadful stuff is derived from either that or something else just as ghastly."

I rolled my eyes at him, "Honey is _good_, you ninny. And it's good for you. Real good to heal a sore throat."

He began to fuss with a cuff, "If you say so,"

I hopped up from my computer. "Oh, I do." I made my way over and sat beside him. "Jareth?"

He turned his head towards me and smiled, "Hmm?"

I put my head on his shoulder and idly fussed with the cuff he'd just arranged to his liking, "Do you have holidays in the Underground?"

"Yes," he said, "We do… might I make the assumption that this line of questions is directly related to the proximity of one of the largest and most widely celebrated Aboveground holidays, Christmas?"

"You know me too well."

"Ah, that I do," he shifted and wrapped an arm around me, "And I know that you surely have a great horde of questions that are designed to slowly get you the one answer you truly wish to have. With that in mind, might I save us some precious time and directly ask you what it is you wish to know?"

I sighed. No use in beating around the bush now. "Do you celebrate Christmas?"

He seemed to ponder this question. "To a certain degree, yes," he said with a tone that informed me he had some explaining to do on the matter. I decided to let him explain before I asked anything.

"You see," he said, "Christmas is a rather uniquely Aboveground holiday, for obvious reasons. Underground, we celebrate the Winter Solstice. Now, with that in mind, do you remember times which I have mentioned Fae longevity?"

I nodded.

"I believe I have explained to you that it tends to promote promiscuity…" he coughed a little and cleared his throat, "I suppose the more appropriate term would be that it promotes _boredom_ among many. The Aboveground and its rapid changes allow many ways to break the monotony of living a very long life. Fads and fashion trends – believe it or not, but we do catch some of them, from time to time."

"Fads? Oh man," I pulled a face, "Somehow, I find the image of you with a Tickle-Me Elmo to be highly disturbing."

He, too, pulled a face. "If you wish to keep your sanity, at any large event, never mention _pogs_."

I snorted.

Jareth continued, "But, as I was saying, many holidays from Above have made their way Underground. When a Fae has contact with the Above, and they find one they like, they adopt it Below. We officially celebrate the Winter Solstice, but many of our customs have been influenced by Christmas, such as the giving of gifts and the like. Also, there are many who adore things from Above-"

I smiled, "You mean, like Tillan?"

He nodded, "Yes, I do. Many like Tillan do celebrate Christmas. As for myself, I do not specifically celebrate Christmas…" he trailed off and wrapped an arm around me, "But I do many of the traditions. Are you worried of offending me, my Wren?"

I leaned into him, "Yeah. Somewhat. I… I just didn't know – but I do now. Oh," I sat up and looked at him, "That reminds me. Christmas… I know you spent Thanksgiving with my nutty family and probably wouldn't want to spend Christmas with them, but I'm still inviting you… you should meet Persephone! She's coming! She's so awesome. A bit stiff at times, because she's quite the businesswoman, you know, but she's still really great. I'd love for you to meet her."

Jareth gave me a skeptical glance, "Another sister? She does not take after Orla… does she?"

Ha! "No, no, she's not. She's Lachlan's twin, you know. Goodness, if there were ever two different people out there… aside from the slight resemblance, you wouldn't think they were twins. Lachlan is all artsy and dramatic, Perry is all business and professional. But she's still very cool. She likes David Bowie, too. Oh," I covered my mouth. I probably shouldn't have said that. It wouldn't help my case any.

He rolled his eyes, "Well, despite that fact, if she is more like you and Lachlan than _Orla_, then I am sure I will like her."

I removed my hands from my mouth, "Does that mean you'll come?"

Jareth gave me a placating half smile – which, of all the looks he gives me, is his worst, simply because it means his answer is no, but he doesn't want it to be… if that makes any sense.

"I do have some things to attend to that evening," he said, his smile stiffening, "but when I have completed what needs to be done, I would be pleased to join you."

I turned my head to the side, "What are you doing, Christmas Day?"

He gave a slight shrug, "The goblins adore Christmas, you see. I have yet to figure out who it was that introduced it to them – for I most certainly did not – and as the Goblin King, they want to see me on Christmas."

Aw. How cute. Thinking about a goblin Christmas was… odd, but also kinda cute. The strangest image of Jareth and his goblins came to mind… various images floated into my thoughts, each one crazier than the next. Jareth in a red and white coat, bouncing tiny goblins on his knees and asking them if they'd been good that year; Jareth lifting up a small goblin to put a star on top of a Christmas tree; and my mind began to think of him going down a chimney, but I knew that if I pursued that idea any more, I'd be in uncontrollable giggles, so I stopped there and resumed my conversation.

"Okay, that's fine," I said, "But you will come, at least for a few minutes, right?"

He gave me a wild kind of smile… one of those that is very goblin like and totally sends shivers down to my toes. "I would not miss it, my dearling, and that I promise you."

"Great…" I said, my voice wavering a little under his gaze, "That will be wonderful…"

* * *

"Wren! You need to hurry! I do NOT want Persephone taking a cab from the airport!"

I sighed and grabbed my bag. I had plenty of time – after all, we don't live all that far from the airport, only about ten minutes away – but my mother, per usual, was afraid that Persephone would get freaked if I wasn't there the moment she stepped off the plane and call a cab.

I loved going to pick Perry up from the airport. I mean, being in a big family like mine, it's always everyone all together, all the time. Persephone is always away on business, so we hardly ever see her, even though we all email a lot and all that… but because she's not here so often, we she does come, you don't get much alone time with her. And…

Not to be rude, but… I mean, I love Orla, I really do, but… Perry never used anything against me. I would say she's my favorite sister, but I don't want to say that I have favorites among my siblings. I love all my siblings. But I also love to have time with Persephone.

So, I pick her up, every time she flies in. She does have a car, and a fabulous home – a kind of Victorian-styled townhouse with it's own garage – but she keeps it all locked up when she's away, and I pick her up and take her to her house to get her car. I guess it's my thing with her. I meet her at the airport, get her luggage and drive to her place. It's my time with my sister, just me. I am highly possessive over said time, and Perry knows it.

Keeping that in mind, I know that, first of all, I won't be late, and second of all, even if I _were_ late, she'd wait for me. Or call my cell, to make sure I was okay, and on my way.

So, yeah. Mom didn't have anything to worry about, and had no real good reason to tell me to hurry. I glared at her as I headed out the door.

Fifteen minutes later, I found an awesome parking spot and was running into the terminal to wait. Hopefully her flight was on time…

Well, considering that she was on an international flight from London, first class, with a plane full of other business people that have to be on time, I guessed it would be on time…

But, given the creature that nearly knocked me over in a huge hug, almost decapitated me with her briefcase, and also tripped on her own heels as she did so, I realized that her flight was early.

"Wren!" she almost squealed (that's an _almost_, as I don't think I have ever heard Persephone squeal, like, ever), hugging me tightly, "Wren, Wren, Wren! It's sooo wonderful to see you!"

I winced, but managed to hug her back, "Phooey! You almost gave me a concussion with that cinderblock you lug around!"

She let me go and stepped back, going a little red in the face, "So sorry…" she sat her briefcase down (something that would have been nicer had it been done about two minutes earlier) and smoothed out her suit and hair.

Why is it that all my siblings are beautiful, except me? Okay, okay, so I'm cute. _Cute_. But… Gideon and Ezekiel are both tall and somewhat regal looking. Well… I guess I think they look regal. Lachlan is shorter than the two of them, but he has that artist look about him. Orla, as I have stated on many occasions, is a beautiful Barbie doll, with her golden hair and her freakish ability to do face makeup, even under the worst of conditions. I swear, that girl could apply mascara in a downpour and still come out looking fabulous. Me? Gosh, I'm the shortest (talk about being unfair, as it makes me out to eternally be a young kid in the eyes of my family), dumpy and somewhat bland. I don't get it.

Well, anyway, even Persephone is pretty. She really is. She's not as shapely as Orla or myself (not that I have much shape to speak of. I suppose I'm spherical, though, so that's a shape), but she's taller and thinner. She's a lot like Lachlan, with the black hair that's almost wavy and fair skin. But, unlike Orla, who dresses to be fashionable and all that, Perry almost always wears a suit and almost always is in heels of fancy loafers or something very professional. Always something like that.

Once she had smoothed her shirt over she smiled at me again, then her eyes widened, "Wren," she said, "You've lost weight!"

Uh, what? I shook my head, "No, I haven't… not recently, anyway…"

She was shaking her head, "No, I've got an eye for these things… you're looking thinner…"

"We can agree to disagree," I said, "Let's go get your luggage."

Perry packs rather light for a person who can be on the road for weeks on end, so I was a little surprised to see she had quite a few more bags than usual.

She gave me a sheepish grin, "Presents," she said as we each hauled one towards my car.

I lugged the heavy one over a lump in the airport carpet, "Gosh, what did you buy? Big Ben?"

She laughed, "No, but I'll tell you, customs wasn't easy to get through. I barely skimmed through with some things, but it was worth it."

It wasn't easy, but we did manage to get the stuff into my small car and get out of the airport in one piece.

As we were driving, I looked at her again. "How can you just be wearing that suit? Aren't you cold? I'm cold… I can't go anywhere without my sweater and scarf!"

She laughed closing her eyes a little, "It's warm here compared to New York and London, Wren. I just spent three weeks in London, and two in New York before that. Both places are covered in snow… here? Sheesh, the sun is shining."

I laughed, too, "Well, it's still cold, Perry."

She waved a dismissive hand at me, and changed the subject. "So, you know Lachlan and I email all the time, and talk as often as his phone plan allows, right?"

Hmm. I had a feeling of where this was going. "Yeah, I know." My voice got stiffer than I had planned. She gave me that, 'come on, I'm your sister, and he's my twin' kinda look (okay, so perhaps that's not a look you'd be familiar with unless you have a big family like mine). I sighed.

"Yes, I know, Perry," I said, trying to sound friendlier, "So, you talk to Lachlan… what has he told you?"

She smiled, "Oh, I just heard that my baby sister has herself someone special, now."

"You and the world," I muttered. "I'm going to strangle Lachlan. He's been telling everyone."

Perry nodded and gave a little laugh, "Aw, don't be too upset with him. If he didn't tell me things, I wouldn't know anything that happens while I'm away, and you know I hate being out of touch. And," she added as if something just occurred to her, "He's excited for you, you know."

I scoffed, "I beg your pardon?"

She shrugged, "Okay, so he wasn't all that thrilled at first, but then he started telling me how happy you are, and I heard about how things went on Thanksgiving. After that, he's only had the nicest of things to say."

Really? I hadn't thought to really talk to Lachlan or anyone else about what they'd thought of Jareth on Thanksgiving. Honestly, I didn't want to know. I knew Leyla liked him, but that was all I knew. Mom and Dad had told me they thought he was interesting, but with them that could mean almost anything, so I'd just not pursued it. Part of me was afraid of what they'd say, and part of me wanted to be ultra defiant and say that I didn't care, because it didn't matter.

Because in all truth, it didn't.

But hearing that Lachlan was okay with him now? That was interesting. It suddenly made me curious as to what everyone else thought.

"So, you gonna tell me about him?" she asked, interrupting my thoughts.

I blushed, "He's wonderful," I said, "His name is Jareth Kendricks…" I went on to explain the basics. It was better if Persephone heard all that job stuff from me, instead of asking Jareth in front of my whole family, where he might not get all the faux details the same as he did before. Yes, he was Goblin King, but he had a terrible problem with either having bad memory or issues with a highly selective memory. It was hard to tell, sometimes.

After I'd finished telling her all that I could, she smiled. "Aw, how sweet."

I went red, "What?"

She shook her head, "Ask me again, before I leave, so you can't hurt me."

I frowned, but shoved that strange comment off to the side, to think on later. I needed to focus more on my driving.

* * *

Before I knew it, it was Christmas Eve. I was thrilled. I love Christmas Eve. My parents were going to some evening Christmas concert that was open to the public, down at our city's convention center. They go every year. I declined their offer to join them, and stayed home.

As soon as they left, I raced to put on _It's a Wonderful Life_ – which I can't watch with them home because my Dad thinks it's depressing. I had the DVD all set to go, when there was a pop behind me.

I screamed and turned around, shocked nearly out of my skin. I recognized a Fae presence, but knew instantly that it wasn't Jareth.

Thank goodness I did know who it was. It was Tillan.

He looked very worriedly at me as I leaned over the couch, trying to catch my breath and to stop shaking. "Wren, did I frighten you?" he asked.

I looked up, "Um… yeah… you did…"

He nodded, "Ah, I do apologize for the fright. It was not my intention to do so."

He was polite enough to give me a minute to recover. Once I was no longer shaking, I looked up at him, "Hiya, Tillan… what… um, why are you in my living room on Christmas Eve?"

He beamed at me, "I came to consult with you."

I frowned, "Consult? What does that mean?"

He motioned to the cushion on the couch next to mine, "May I?" I nodded, and he took a seat. With a quick cough to clear his throat, he withdrew a package. "Wren, for some time now, I have been pondering the propriety of giving an item of value, but little consequence, to one who would have great appreciation for it, but whom I have had very little contact with. I was hoping to receive your thoughts on the matter."

"Uh, can you dumb that down for me, Tillan? You want to do what?"

His dark eyes blinked a few times, "It is Christmas, and I have a present, but I am not certain that it would be proper to give."

I grinned, "What is it, and who's it for?"

Okay, so I didn't know Tillan that well, but I was certain that he was blushing. "A book, for Lady Allie, on ancient Fae and Elven languages."

I shook my head, laughing a little. When he looked at me strangely, I did what I could to sober and leaned over and patted his hand. "Tomorrow evening, go take it to her. She'll love it."

He nodded his head to me and smiled, "Under your advisement, I shall. I thank you, Wren."

"Any time, Tillan," I said, then thought of something. "Oh! Hey, Tillan, could you do me a favor?"

He watched me curiously as I scrambled up and ran to the Christmas tree. "Of course, dear Lady," he said, "What would you ask of me?"

I dug beneath the presents (which were for my nieces and nephews, you know) and found the one I had hidden, next to Jareth's. It was small and round and wrapped in brightly colored paper with a bright gold bow on top.

I returned to Tillan and held the present out to him, "Um, I think Jareth is busy with the goblins tonight, so I don't want to go disturb him, but could you be sure he gets this? Well… maybe you know who this is for, so you won't have to, but…"

He raised an eyebrow at me, "Deliver a gift? Whoever is it for?"

"Squyshee. Do you know him? He's one of Jareth's favorites."

"Ah, the one who's rather enamored with you. Yes, I have heard of him. Rather small one, isn't he?"

A giggle escaped my throat, "Yeah, he's kinda small. But this… ah, this is just something I thought he'd like. From the King's Lady."

Tillan nodded solemnly, "He shall receive it."

"Thank you."

* * *

I was up rather late watching first _It's a Wonderful Life_, followed by a rather large line of other Christmas films. My parents got home eventually and so I retired to my room, where I fell asleep on my journal as I was writing in it. An hour later I woke up and put myself in bed, properly.

I could have slept for much longer than I actually did. When we were all little, we always got up at five in the morning, but… now that I'm the last in the house, I sleep pretty late. Well, not _that_ late, but usually until eight or nine. My parents still like to see me open my presents, but I don't mind waiting until the rest of the family comes. I open a couple and then eat breakfast with my parents then hurry to get dressed before I'm bombarded with the kids.

So, I'm sure you can imagine my surprise when I woke up to a very happy squeal and something sitting on me.

"Gah! What?! Who's there!" I stammered as I struggled to open my eyes. My clock read 6:30…

My sleepy ears could only register squeals… then, finally words registered and my eyes focused on what was going on.

"King's Lady! King's Lady! Yous the bestest Lady ever!"

"Squyshee?" I blinked, seeing a very small goblin with a funny little cap on his head and droopy ears sitting on me. His eyes were huge and his mouth was smiling from ear to ear, almost literally, clutching something in his hands as though it were gold.

And he had a gold bow stuck on the top of his cap.

Sitting up and moving him a little so he was sitting beside me rather than on my ribs, I said, "I see Tillan delivered my present."

The goblin nodded so much that the bow popped off and landed in my lap. I picked it up and put it back on for him.

"Oh, King's Lady gaves a present to me! I is the luckiest goblin ever ever ever! And," he peeked down into his hands, "It's the prettiest thing I is ever seeing! 'Cept the King's Lady!" I laughed and rubbed my cheeks, which had gone rather red, and he held it out to me with a cute smile, "And see? Nows they match! They're both all red!"

In his hands was a shiny red yo-yo. It hadn't been very much at the store, but I figured he'd love it.

"I'm glad you like it, Squyshee."

His eyes were huge, now, "You's the nicest Lady!"

I patted his head, "And you're the nicest goblin," he started to shake his head and say he wasn't, but I turned away and looked around my room, specifically at my shoe rack. "Someone was sure nice enough to come and put all my shoes and shirts away…"

He got very quiet and smiled.

I reached over and grabbed the stick from my dresser, "And whoever it was left this behind."

He grinned up at me as he took back his stick. Feeling brave, for me, I quickly reached over and gave him a hug, which made him squeak. "Merry Christmas, Squyshee," I said, "Now, you had better get back before the King notices your gone."

He nodded, and hopped to his feet, then paused, "Mally Crickofast, Lady!"

And with a pop he was gone. I shook my head, laughing to myself. Then, my pillow began to call me again… perhaps I could get some more sleep before Mom and Dad woke up…

"Wren?"

I sighed, "Oh well. No rest for the wicked. Time to get up!"

* * *

In no time at all, the Neilson house was filled to the brim with… well, Neilsons. Heh. Oh, and piles of wrapping paper. Can't forget the wrapping paper.

Gideon, Julie and their kids had come again this year, as her parents had gone to Bermuda on a second Honeymoon or something like that. Ezekiel, Ruth and the twins were also there. Lachlan didn't have any place else to be, though Nokomis was spending the day with her family, and Orla had been the first to arrive.

My family Christmas parties are always loud, raucous things. After the presents are opened and dinner is served, the night goes into a kind of dancing party… we put on music (no television, thank you very much) and just have fun together. Ruth and Julie love it because it's about the only time of year they can get their husbands to dance.

Orla kept watching me – I just _know_ she was waiting for Jareth to come ­– but she spent most of the time chatting with Ruth.

Persephone was also keeping her eye on me… out of curiosity, I know. Finally she pulled me aside, "Hey Wren, when's your beau coming on by? I'm dying to meet him!"

Something tickled in the back of my head, and I snickered, "I think he's waiting for Orla to leave… She all but threw herself at him last time."

"Oh dear," Perry said, somewhat seriously. "Well, I hope not… she doesn't look like she's ready to leave any time soon. And," she added, "How would he know if she's here or not anyway?"

I shrugged, quickly trying to think of something to say. Luckily, I received a nice distraction by Leyla, who climbed up in my lap with her new stuffed Reindeer that had a funky tuft of hair on top. I have no clue where my mother finds odd things like that.

"Hey baby," I said to her, bouncing her, "Whatcha got there?"

She held it up to me and smiled, "Reth!"

"Reth? Cute name."

Leyla sat it down and looked at me, shrugging, "Ren, where Reth go?"

I picked up her reindeer, "Here he is, silly."

She shook her head, "No, no… Reth!"

I frowned, "Huh? He's right here," I shook the reindeer in front of her, "See? Here's Reth!"

She squeezed it and began to slide off my knee, gibbering about something I couldn't understand, "Reth abbadear notta beeka Reth…"

Perry laughed at the exchange. I stood up and shrugged, starting to make my way to the kitchen. Faintly, though it was hard to hear over the music my mother was putting on, I heard the doorbell ring.

I whirled around, "I GOT IT!" I nearly screamed and dashed for the front door.

I opened the door and was instantly swept off my feet. I squealed and let Jareth spin me around – I had no idea why he was so happy, but I wasn't about to complain. When he sat me down, I squeezed him tightly. "I was beginning to wonder if you would make it or not," I muttered against his chest, which was clad in a red button-up.

I felt him lean down to my ear, "I would not miss it, if for no other reason than to spend time with you and to see…" he pulled up, "Leyla!"

The little girl squealed and came running, her arms outstretched and eager to be picked up. Julie scoffed, good naturedly, "Well, how do I like that? Whose kid are you anyway?"

Jareth had to quickly let me go to grab Leyla as she gibbered happily. He picked her up and twirled her as eagerly as he had me. Once he had settled her in his arms, I pulled him in the doorway and led him inside.

My parents popped their heads out from the other room long enough to say hello and wish Jareth a Merry Christmas, as did my brothers. I had no clue where Orla had gone to, but I think Lachlan had taken her out to the music for a dance. I promised myself I'd thank him for that, later.

"Perry! Where'd you go?" I hollered.

"I'm right here," she said, coming around the corner. Her eyes spotted Jareth and she quickly looked at me. I grinned from ear to ear at her expression. She was the first of all my siblings to look impressed. _Impressed_! Not shocked or incredulous or whatever, but actually impressed! I was thrilled.

"Persephone," I said, "This is Jareth Kendricks. Jareth, this is my sister, Persephone."

Jareth extended the hand that wasn't holding Leyla towards Perry, "The final sibling," he said with a smile, "I am pleased to meet you."

Persephone reached out and shook his gloved hand, an odd expression on her face. She was looking at Jareth with a very discerning eye… I gulped. Perry was big business, and she wouldn't make it at all in what she does if she wasn't able to read people well. I found something about the way she watched Jareth to be off-putting. It wasn't mistrustful or with longing, but it was just…

Basically, it was the first time someone in my family had really looked at Jareth beyond the basic face-value we gave them.

"Nice gloves," she said, her voice polite as ever, and her face now unreadable. "And I'm very pleased to meet you, too. Please, call me Perry, or Sephy, or... ah, something less formal, please."

He started to say something, but was interrupted by two things – one, was Berty, who suddenly pulled Perry away, begging for a game of chess, and the other was Leyla, who suddenly just had to show Jareth her new reindeer.

Jareth waved to Perry as Berty dragged her away, and then he turned to Leyla. "And what is this?" he asked, eyeing the stuffed toy.

She giggled and completely shoved the reindeer in his face. "Litta Reth adda beeka Reth!" she laughed.

He peeked at me from between reindeer horns in his face, "How lovely," he muttered.

I giggled, "Gosh, Jareth, that reindeer has the same hair that you… oh!" I covered my mouth. "Leyla named the reindeer after you!" I burst out laughing. "Little Jareth and big Jareth! Ahahahaa!!!"

He looked at Leyla, "Your auntie is mental."

Leyla giggled as she wiggled the reindeer in his face again. I raced to my room for a moment, looking for something. I returned a few seconds later with what I had been searching for… "Here! This… oh my gosh, this makes it perfect!"

I reached up and put my headband with reindeer horns on his head. Hee! If looks could kill… but Leyla loved it. She hugged him, and her reindeer, and pulled on the headband horns…

Jareth merely raised one eyebrow at me, letting me know that if he were not holding a toddler in his arms, he would probably have something very rude to say to me, indeed. To change the subject, I took his hand and moved to a relatively empty corner of the living room, where I could give him his presents.

Leyla was now gibbering to her reindeer, barely noticing either of us. So, I reached under the Christmas tree and retrieved the three gifts. "Merry Christmas, or Solstice, or whatever," I said as I handed them to him.

He sat down on the corner of the couch, Leyla on one knee, and I sat beside him. On his other knee, he balanced the gifts, and plucked at the bows. He looked up at me, "These are for me?"

I nodded, "I wouldn't have given them to you if they weren't."

With nimble fingers, and a little help from me (because, hey, a toddler on one knee tends to complicate things, doesn't it?), he began to open them. First came a cookbook. He gave me a strange look at this, but I shrugged and he laughed heartily and hugged me tightly. Second was a cookie sheet… this seemed confusing to him until I explained what it was for. He was very excited. Those had been the two gifts that went together, really.

Finally, he picked up the gift I was most nervous about him opening. It was smaller than the others, but, to me, was more special. His long fingers deftly removed the small box and opened it, revealing a pocket watch.

Okay, so not the most fancy of things, and I was certain that he didn't really need it, but… it was a watch of _my_ time. Twelve hours, not thirteen. It was simple, not very fancy at all, but I thought it was pretty.

I watched as he ran his fingers over it, lifting it and examining it. He clicked the latch that opened it, and he gazed at the inside of it, seemingly amused.

When he looked at me, I suddenly felt silly for it. I started to stammer and say something, anything, but he reached up quickly and stroked my cheek with his free hand – a gesture that spoke to me without words, saying I needn't feel foolish, that he did love it.

I wasn't sure how he did it, especially one handedly, but when I looked down he had pressed a box into my hands. I didn't know where the box had come from – I suspected magic had a hand in it.

Oh, it was beautiful. A box about six inches square and two inches deep was wrapped in dark, shimmering paper and elegantly wrapped with a silvery silk ribbon. Carefully, I pulled the ribbon from the box and the paper… well, at my touch the paper practically fell away on it's own accord. It revealed a black box. I cracked open the box and peered inside.

Curling about on a small white cushion was a necklace of interesting design. The pieces were of a pearly blue hue, and they were thin and long… but most eye catching were the beads, if you could even call them that, that were down near the middle. There were five of them, each hanging downward, but… they were shaped like leaves. And, under closer inspection, I noticed…

"Shell?" I asked quietly, in awe. "This is made of shell? I… wow. Jareth, this is gorgeous… where did you get this?"

"I commissioned it," he shrugged.

"You… what?" my mouth fell open. "You commissioned this? Just… just for me?"

He reached out and began to remove it from the box, "Well, I could have created one for you, as I did your ring, but I know of these shells and how lovely they are, and thought perhaps a commission would be more appropriate. These shells are somewhat rare, you know." He lifted it carefully and draped it around my neck – again, I'm not sure how he managed to get it on me with one hand, but he did manage it, all the same.

I was feeling slightly misty eyed. "Rare? What kind of shells are they?"

He gave me a secretive smile. "Moon shells, hence the blue hue," he said in a low tone that only I could hear, "From Lake Lunari."

I threw my arms around him, really without thinking, and kissed him. Melody and Harmony, Zeke's twins, let out squeals of disgust. All the rest of my family members who were near enough to see what the girls were squealing at, laughed and snickered or, as was the case with _someone_ (I have yet to figure out who), a cat-call. Oh, and Leyla covered her eyes.

I went redder than I have in a long time, and sheepishly hid my face, and a groan, in his shoulder. Jareth, though did not seem to be embarrassed by this in the least. Instead, he gently sat Leyla down, stood, pulled me up, gave me a wild smile (which, for what it's worth, sometimes serves as a warning for his mischief), and, in one great sweep, dipped me over backwards and gave me a big kiss.

Not as showy as he's done in the past, but for that I was thankful – we were, after all, in front of my family, and the last thing he needed to do was give my parents a reason to dislike him.

Oh, it had been some time since he'd kissed me like that… when he sat me back up on my feet I swayed slightly, and my face was flaming.

Lachlan, who had just come in, gave a whistle (distinctly different from that first one, so I knew it hadn't been him), and Orla, who was just behind him, looked highly confused and even a little miffed, if I wasn't mistaken.

Jareth chuckled as he reseated himself down on the couch. I sat down beside him and slapped him across the shoulder, playfully. Leyla had climbed back into his lap, even though he was now perusing his cookbook, and I put my head on his shoulder.

The instant I did, he shifted. One leg crossed to balance both the book and Leyla, so he might wrap one arm around me and pull me close.

"You like your gift?" he asked, idly, browsing through the cookie section.

I nodded, "Yes, I do."

"Then I am glad," he said, softly. "Merry Christmas, my dearling."

I fingered the necklace around my neck gently and snuggled closer into his arms, "Merry Christmas, Jareth."

Reth the reindeer suddenly became smushed between Jareth's face and my hair, Leyla giggling madly.

I snorted, "Aren't you glad you came, _Reth_?"

I watched his gaze travel from the stuffed toy to where Orla was huffing about across the room. He smiled, showing off his teeth, "Oh, that I am, Wren. That I am."

* * *

**Well, everyone, I offer you my very sincere apologies for not having this up sooner. I had intended to have this on Christmas Eve, but unfortunately, this writer got a terrible cold two days before Christmas, which made writing coherently near impossible.**

**You have my apologies if my semi-loopiness, induced by one too many cough drops, shows through what I've written.**

**I also want to thank you all for supporting me and this fiction. Several of you have continuously been faithful in reading and reviewing this, and I can't say enough how much that means to me, especially since this fiction is non-JxS. I appreciate all of it. **

**So, I hope you all had a wonderful holiday (regardless of which holiday you celebrate) season, and I wish you all the best, and a very Happy New Year.**

**Much love,**

**Marti**


	30. Sniffles, Snot, and Goo

**Disclaimer: I AM A NERD!!! I am also obsessed with Labyrinth, but wouldn't ever dream of trying to claim any part of that as my own. Wren, her family, friends, and the other OC's my exceptions – they are mine! MINE! MUAHAHAHA!!! –cough- um… nerd?**

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**DanikaLareyna: What? You don't like my title? I'm hurt! –sniff-. And, I seriously doubt that the GK would let you adopt Leyla. If she needed adopting, he'd probably be the first in line.**

**Nikki: Ah, yes, Squyshee – he is fun, isn't he? He's one of my favorites to write… though, he's not easy. I tend to talk like I'm five after I've spent more than ten minutes at a time on him. **

**Notwritten: you too, my friend. Have an awesome New Year, and thank you again.**

**Calla Lillie: I don't think I can say just how happy your review made me – THANK YOU!!! **

**Contraltissimo: YES! Okay? I KNOW what you are talking about! And… I'm slowly giving in. I think I need a fiery for my wall. Happy? You should be. Hee.**

**Nathan: Hello! Welcome to my story! Thank you so very much for reviewing!! So many comments and responses I'd love to say... Need a pretty girl? I'm sure the GK could look into that one... stuck in things? Well... sadly, that happens more than most people would think. Wren get stuck on little things, like gum on the sidewalk and stuff. Me? -sigh- I've gotten stuck in the bathroom, seatbelts, and once in the fence out front of the White House. Yep, THAT was interesting. And, feel free to feel accepted here! And, well, you don't really need an active imagination... they're just really boring meetings. I swear. What's wrong with pink bubbles? -snort- But, most of all, thank you for all your lovely comments. I appreciate them more than I can say.**

**Anij: You know, my sister-in-law is expecting a little girl - they already have three boys, all with blonde hair and blue eyes... think I could convince them to name her Leyla??? -snicker-**

**Sammi C: Oh! I'm sorry your sick! No fun... no fun at all! I shall send the GK to cheer you up! Maybe do a dance, or something... Feel better, soon!**

**Miharu Kawashi: Yeah, Orla has her issues. Honestly, I don't think she understands the problem, you know? As a very wonderful author said, "Sometimes those people who were mean to you aren't really mean. They're just stupid."**

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**Music recommendations: **

**_Anyone_ by Roxette – um… anyone who's 'kissed in the rain'… probably got a cold.**

**_Dream A Little Dream of Me _by Cass Elliot – I adore Cass Elliot, she was simply amazing. **

**_TVC 15 _by David Bowie – this reminds me of one of those hallucinatory moments you have when you're sick.**

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**Yes. You all know what inspired this chapter. Did I not mention that I'm a nerd? Because I am. And if you ask Danika, I'm a dork, too. **

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Colors… lots of colors. Yuck, the window is not pretty. Too bright…

It's funny what things you notice when you're sick, isn't it? Some blankets feel itchy, some you just start rolling your feet in because you're restless and also because you like the feel of them…

I HATE being sick.

And I HATE having a cold. I mean, I can stand the sniffles and cough and stuff like that, but it's that first initial part where you have chills and a bit of a fever that just kills me.

And completely wears me out.

Hmm. Better back up here and explain.

I had been sitting with Jareth on my bed talking, when he'd suddenly gotten a strange feeling about the throne room. He pulled out a crystal, seen that a couple of goblins had decided to surprise him buy decorating his throne with ketchup and mustard – he had no clue how they had gotten their hands on the condiment bottles, for as far as he knew, there weren't any in _his_ kitchens – and he had to leave, right away, to remedy the situation.

After he left, I sat there on my bed, my mind both wondering and wandering. I swallowed… something didn't feel right. I swallowed again. It was like… not sore, but like it might be in a day. I shuddered. I did NOT want to get sick. I swallowed a third time, just to try and convince myself I was wrong…

Nope. Third time is the charm… I could feel my throat _almost _getting sore, which meant I'd be getting sick.

And, since I'm a huge baby about sore throats (especially the kind that feel like bacteria or something, where it makes you shudder and shake each time you swallow, instead of just the raw throat kind), it was time for some vinegar.

Um, I know that sounds gross, but trust me, gargling with a few teaspoons of vinegar and swallowing as much of it as you can will kill whatever is bugging your throat, numb it up, and heal it. It works almost instantly.

But it's just hard to get it down. It's _vinegar_, after all. It makes me shudder and gag a little, and my mouth waters from it like faucet or something, but a few moments of discomfort and distaste are vastly preferable to hours or days of a sickly sore throat.

So, I downed (trying and failing to miss my tongue with the tart stuff) what I could and opted to go to bed early… perhaps a little extra sleep would help fight whatever this was. I dug out some Echinacea and took that, then headed off to bed. I was pretty sure that Jareth would understand.

In the middle of the night, I woke, feeling worse. Sure, the throat was only raw, but I was now chilling. I added another blanket and went back to sleep.

When I woke up, it was a Saturday morning (so I didn't have to worry about work), but I was undeniably sick. Just _sick_. I was feverish feeling, weak, and didn't have the ability to focus on any one thing for more than ten seconds. I got up long enough to get some breakfast (toast was all I felt like eating, and even that was rough) and then went back to bed until noon.

The day went by in a strange haze, and by Sunday morning, I was just… yuck. I knew I had a cold, because some of the yuckier symptoms had subsided, but my nose was beginning to sniffle.

So, there I was, lying in bed, dozing. I didn't feel much like getting out of bed, and I also didn't feel much like sleeping, so I stayed in bed. I felt vaguely feverish, extremely jittery, chilled from time to time. I wondered if this odd feeling was anything like the effects of drugs… probably close. But, if that were true, it boggled me as to why anyone would want to induce these feelings. They were horrible.

Swirling colors fascinated me, mainly my curtains, even though they weren't particularly colorful curtains, but in watching them, the light from the outside wasn't the most fun to look at. But I still watched my curtains because they were preferable to the ceiling, which, due to the popcorn texture, caused my sick eyes to see _strange_ things…

… like puffs of glitter and David Bowie in my room…

Oh, wait. That was Jareth. Duh.

It was nearly noon, and my parents had gone to take my Grandparents to church. Jareth looked down at me, highly concerned. I was usually out of bed by that time on the weekends.

"Hey," I said, rolling my feet.

"Wren, is something wrong?" he asked, looking at my disheveled appearance, "Did something keep you from sleep last night?"

I shook my head, "No, I'm sick."

He looked highly taken aback, "Then where are your parents? Do they not care for you when you are ill?"

I snorted, which wasn't a good idea, because it made me need to blow my nose, and said, "No, I'm a big girl, I can take care of my self. It's a cold, Jareth, just a cold."

He cocked his hips and placed his fists on them indignantly, "Have you no Healers in the Aboveground?"

"It's a _cold_, Jareth," I said, "I have stuff to ease the symptoms, but there is no cure. It would be a waste to go to a doctor, there's nothing they can do for a cold."

Mistake. That was a big mistake to tell him that.

He quickly snapped his fingers, causing my computer chair to come across the room, just in time for him to sit down beside my bed. "Wren," he said, his voice filled with fear, "There… there is no cure? I do not accept that, I shall not stand for that! Surely…"

I giggled, "Your hair is fuzzy…"

He stopped, mid sentence, and frowned at me, "Is this not a time for seriousness and concern?"

I shook my head, trying to clear it more than to actually disagree with him, "Colds aren't that serious, and they don't last all that long. I took some stuff to help, I have lots of fluids to drink, and I'll be fine in a few days time, a week at the most…" I broke off, coughing into a tissue, "Gah… uh… that reminds me, you shouldn't be here, you could catch it from me, and I don't want to make you sick."

He waved a hand at me, dismissively, and raised his nose into the air, "Nonsense, my dearling. I have yet to meet a Fae who has caught such an illness. Your family has abandoned you in your time of need, so I shall remain with you, to tend to you while you are unwell."

Something about how he said that struck me as funny, "What a kingly nurse," I said, snorting (I suppose my 'snorts' should better be called 'snots', as doing such caused me, without fail, to have to blow my nose on a couple of tissues), "Shouldn't you… I dunno… be taking care of your Kindgom?"

Jareth leaned down and reached out a hand to rest it on the side of my face… oh, his gloves were cool and felt SO good on my face… I instantly turned into his hand and made a happy noise in my throat. This made him smile, "My realm can wait. You are in need of assistance, I am in a position to give it, and my goblins are behaving well enough for the time being. All is well, my dearling. Now," he stroked my cheek, "What might I do for you?"

"Mmmm, right now? Hmmm…" I nuzzled his glove, "Right now you can just touch my face with both your hands…"

He raised an eyebrow at me, "Odd request… might I ask why?"

"Because it feels good."

* * *

Sometime after I'd eaten some chicken soup that Jareth had brought me, I'd fallen asleep and dozed… when I woke up, I started thinking… 

… and started crying.

Jareth was at my side in an instant, "Wren, what is wrong?"

I sat up, still crying, and he moved to sit beside me and hold me, "I don't know where Jill went!"

He frowned, "Jill? Who is this Jill?"

"She… she's my…" I frowned, "Cousin? Sister? Wait… who _is_ Jill?"

Jareth gently began stroking my face to calm me, "I have never heard mention of someone named Jill, Wren…"

"I… but… never?" I looked at him. He shook his head. I sniffed, "Jill's dead!" I wailed.

I cried again and Jareth handed me a glass of water and insisted I drink. After a long drink, my sick mind cleared. "Hold on here," I said, thinking, "I don't know a Jill… what the heck?"

* * *

Monday I stayed home from work. Yes, I was feeling much better – especially after a day of Jareth caring for me. At one point, he'd even been so worried about me, he'd attempted to use his magic to cure me, but it only made me sneeze more. 

Apparently, nothing can cure the common cold, not even magic.

But, he was doting and caring and made sure my every need was met. Monday, my dad went to work and my mom went out to do her errands, like running to the store and post office and whatnot. I didn't mind – that meant I had complete control of the television.

Jareth was so wonderful (I kept insisting he should stay away from me, so he wouldn't get sick, but he insisted he would not, and would be just fine) he even sat through the movie _Labyrinth_ with me… He only put up a minimal fuss when I insisted we watch it. True, he had his hands over his eyes for most of it, and was groaning through certain parts, but he sat through it all the same.

Of course, once I'd gotten my fill of David Bowie, we watched _The Wizard of Oz_, which he found far more amusing (although, we had to fast-forward through most of the Munchkin scenes, because they completely weirded him out. He insisted they were evil... which, I still don't get. But whatever). See, those are my sick movies. There is just something trippy about watching all the goblins in _Labyrinth_, and then all those bright colors in _The Wizard of Oz_, I just can't resist watching them. I was half tempted to watch my live disc of _A Reality Tour_, figuring that all those dumb special effects and lighting things they added would be totally trippy and way fun for my sick brain, but… Jareth had been kind enough to tolerate Labyrinth, I wasn't about to be mean and make him sit through more Bowie.

I slept through most of the rest of the day. I was feeling way better, even though I still had a stuffy nose and a cough, but I was exhausted. Jareth gave me a kiss, wished me well, and let me sleep.

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Two days later, when I was back at work, loaded up with a mungo-sized box of tissues and lots of water and stuff to drink, I was feeling so much better. Work had been busy lately, and I hadn't seen Jareth since. I made a mental note to thank him next time he came, for taking such good care of me. I mean, really, I had to be the luckiest girl, ever. 

But, he hadn't come. Two days, and I was beginning to worry. That wasn't like him, not without reason – and when there was a reason, he usually gave it to me.

I frowned at my computer screen as I worked. Perhaps I could go take a break, sneak Underground, and make sure he was okay.

I printed out the papers I needed, and made my way to the printer. As I grabbed my papers, I spotted another puddle.

"What the heck!" I all but yelled, dashing to Lisa's desk (she was out that day with a cold herself) to the roll of paper towel she kept there, tearing off several rolls. "Who keeps making these puddles! Bill!"

"What!?" Bill's head stuck out of his cubicle, looking highly surprised, "What did I do?"

I pointed a finger to him, and then at the puddle, "Did you do this? You were the last person to use the printer. Was this here?"

"No, Wren, I swear!" he put his hands up in defense, "I didn't notice if it was there or not, but I swear I didn't put it there!"

I relented my steel glare, "Okay, fine then…" I looked back at the puddle, "So where the heck do these keep coming from?"

The day before, it was the freakiest thing ever, I swear! It was like someone kept leaving puddles of clear goo around – and it was always me or Allie who found them! It was so annoying! I was certain that Bill had been doing it, but Allie found one on her desk, and he never goes to her desk.

I was seriously getting annoyed. I mean, come on, goo? GOO! Just small, palm sized puddles of goo… I was almost certain I'd seen one at home, too, but I think my mother found it and cleaned it up. Of course, that could have been some Jell-o thing my dad had tried to make… he'd been trying to perfect Jell-o lately… don't ask.

I trashed the goo, grumbled, and went back to my desk.

It was almost five, and I couldn't wait to go home. First thing after I could change out of my work clothes and get on some jeans, I needed to go check on Jareth. That was my top priority.

At that time of the day, I am the last person in the office, besides Donna, but she's always out smoking or somewhere else in the building. So, I was all alone…

"Spppt!"

I frowned and looked around. "Excuse me?" I said, to no one.

"Spppt!"

"Hello?" I was certain it was the techie I'd called, coming to fix the back printer, but when I looked, no one was there.

"Spppt!" the noise went again, "Lady! Oder here!"

I turned around in my chair, looking under the empty cubicle that was behind me. There, on his hands and knees, was Squyshee, trying desperately to get my attention.

"Squyshee!" I gasped, "What are you doing here?" He'd really startled me.

He peeked out from the cube, looking around, "Is it safe, Lady?"

I nodded, "Sure, I'm the only person here, right now. What's the matter?"

He held up a piece of parchment, folded over, in the air. "I is bringing the King's Lady a message from the King."

"Hmm. Why didn't he send a crystal?"

Squyshee hung his head, "He tried. Something is wrong, and the King's Lady didn't get his messages."

Quickly, worriedly, I took the envelope from the little goblin and opened it. I blinked a little… It was Jareth's handwriting, for certain, but it wasn't as straight as it usually was. In fact, it was down right sloppy for him.

I decided to just read it out loud. It was a rather formal letter, nothing like what I was expecting from him. I began reading it, idly, "Wren Neilson, the King of the Goblins hereby requests your presence. The Labyrinth and Goblin Kingdom are facing terribly dark days ahead. The King wishes to bid his farewell to you from his death bed… _DEATH BED???_"

Without thinking, though terribly wishing I had not read the letter out loud, as it had made Squyshee cry and near inconsolable, I stuffed the letter in my bag, grabbed my things, and decided that, with ten minutes to five, I needed to leave _then_. I picked the sobbing goblin up in my arms and counted my crystals right away.

We appeared outside of Jareth's room. I looked around… something about Jareth's letter let me know that, no, he wasn't dying. I couldn't explain it. I just had a feeling I guess. Well, either way, I knew that I couldn't leave Squyshee to just sob himself silly or to go tell all the goblins that their King was dying…

I ran down the hall to my rooms. I went in side, sat the small goblin on the bed with my bag, told him to stay put and guard my things for me, until I came back. He nodded, his eyes huge and watery. I patted him on the head, "Hey, I'll take care of things, okay? Don't worry… I promise it'll be okay. Don't cry."

He nodded, but then fell face first on the bed, crying again. I sighed. Best to hurry and find out what the trouble was, so I could convince Squyshee that things were okay. If I didn't soon, he'd probably make himself sick.

I raced back to Jareth's room, all but bursting through the doors. He was lying in his bed, shifting a little this way and that under his blankets. There was a pile of handkerchiefs on his bedside table, many of them used. At present, there was one just lying over his face, blocking out the sunlight from his window, which had the curtains drawn back.

"Jareth?" I asked, hurrying to his side. "Jareth, what's the matter?"

There was a distinct sniffle from under the handkerchief. "Wren?"

"Yes, it's me," I said.

His hands came up and covered his face, handkerchief and all. "No, pleath," his voice sounded terrible, "I would radder you did not thee me thith way."

I put my hands on my hips, "You called for me, remember?"

"Oh… well, I changed my mind."

Giggles threatened to escape my throat, "Jareth! Why did you say you were on your death bed?"

There was a sniffle again. "I am dying. There ith no other explanation."

I sat down on the edge of the bed and pried his hands from his face and removed the handkerchief, revealing his very sick looking face. His eyes were red rimmed, his nose was also red, presumably from blowing it, his mouth was slightly open, I guessed because his throat was sore, and he looked a little pale. Well, even for him.

I sighed, finding that, despite being sick, he looked utterly adorable. I reached out and brushed away the strands of his hair that were sticking to his forehead. He leaned into my hand and took hold of it with both of his hands, which were gloveless. "You were so cross with me about the vegetables, I was not certain I would get to say goodbye to you before I died…"

"Jareth," I said, reasonably, "First off, you aren't going to die. Secondly, I don't think I've ever been 'cross' with you about vegetables."

He frowned, "No? Truly?"

I smiled and patted his head, "Never. You just have a cold, and probably dreamt it."

"No, no, I _am_ dying, I am sure of it!" he wailed, "This cannot be mere illness! And my healers cannot cure it, therefore I am DYING!"

I sighed, "Jareth... listen to me, okay? You caught MY cold, an Aboveground cold, and there is no cure for those. You aren't dying, you just have to deal with it, like I did, and ride it out. Okay?"

He sniffed, almost not sure whether or not to believe me. "What do I do?"

Leaning down, I kissed his forehead, "First, you let me go console a very distraught goblin, who thinks his king is dying, and then you let me help you feel better."

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"Wreeen, it _thmellth_."

I nodded and handed him the small cup of vinegar. I wasn't about to try and use a teaspoon and get it all over me, so I'd gotten a small measuring cup for the stuff. "I know it smells, and I promise you it tastes nasty, too, but it's worth it. You don't like your throat hurting, do you?"

"No…" he looked very much like a sullen child. I couldn't blame him. Tolerating something way nasty was hard enough when you _weren't_ sick. Still, if I could do it, so could he. And, poor thing, his throat had gotten worse, and now he was lisping. He needed it.

"Then take it," I forced the cup into his hand.

With a pitifully shaking sigh, he knocked back the cup of vinegar and began to gargle.

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"Mmmm," he murmured, almost purring (ha!), as I rubbed his face and neck with my hands. 

I had gone home, told my parents I'd had some errands to run, and then had gone back to help Jareth.

Um, seriously, there is something very… surreal about taking care of another person, and the moment is even more so when said person is the Goblin King. I doubt that the fact that he _is_ the Goblin King will ever cease to amaze me.

I had brought my stuff with me: my tea and honey, some soup, cough drops, a fresh box of tissues and you know, all those things that are good for you when you're sick. He had protested at first, especially since he claimed that he didn't like honey, but I insisted that they would help him – after all, if he was capable of _catching_ my cold, then surely my _remedies_ could _help_.

Turns out, though, he likes lemon tea with honey. And I made him eat some soup, too. His kitchen staff was happy to see me again, but could not understand why it was that I wanted to cook for the King. The _dying_ King.

Drat. That was going to call for some damage control – but I'm sure he could handle the brunt of that once he got better.

I corrected them. No, he wasn't dying, he was just ill. He'd be better soon, once I got him this stuff.

After that, they were more than willing to help me, and took serious notes on the food items I was making.

But, anyway, oddly enough, what seemed to help him the most was _contact_. Oh, sure, during the worst of my cold, his gloves had felt good, but contact actually seemed to improve his health. I now had him lying on his stomach, and was rubbing the back of his neck and back (long before I'd came, he'd pronounced his nightshirt to be 'itchy' and thrown it across the room).

I smiled as I played with his hair a little, sitting kind of side-saddle on the edge of the bed, right next to him. I tugged on his ears, he frowned and peeked open an eye at me… but when I began massaging the area just behind his ear, causing his Eustachian tubes to drain, he smiled and moved his jaw silently.

"You know," I said, "If you ever get sick, you should call for me sooner. I was worried about you, over the last few days."

He closed his eyes, turning his head the other way so I could work on his other ear, "I did," he murmured, "But my magic was not – and still is not – working properly."

I paused, frowning, "Wait a minute… how _did_ you try and contact me?"

He propped himself up and faced me, holding out one hand. He swirled it around, forming a crystal. I eyed it, suspiciously… then he dropped in on the bed. When it landed, it neither bounced nor shattered…

… It formed a puddle of goo.

My hands came up and covered my mouth in absolute surprise. "Oh!" I burst out laughing, in absolute hysterics… Goo!!

He rested his head down on his pillow, smiling vaguely at me. "You see?" he said, "I tried."

Still laughing, I prodded the goo with my finger. It wobbled like jello. I grabbed a few tissues and cleaned it up. Tossing it onto the pile of tissues he'd collected, I snickered, "You've… heheh… you've got a mucus problem, haven't you?"

He raised an eyebrow at me, "Enjoy laughing at me?"

I leaned out and kissed his forehead, hugging him tightly, "No, at myself, for not putting the pieces together, sooner," I let go and looked at him, "I'm sorry."

He sighed and leaned back on his bed, giving me a faint smile, "Do not be. You have more than made up for… erm… things…" he shook his head, looking tired.

I patted his hand, "You should get some rest. I'll come back and see you tomorrow."

He smiled, his eyes closing, "Yes, please," he murmured, starting to doze, "My sweet Wren… my healer…"

I grinned, leaned over and gave him a kiss, "Sweet dreams, my sick GK."

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**A/N: Oh, it's so good to be free of the sniffles. I hope this chapter was up to par! Please review, and tell me what you think. I can't stress it enough that reviews keep me going here...**

**And speaking of reviews, I have a challenge for you. Yes, YOU, you know who you are. YOU are the reader who's been following this story, perhaps even added it to your favorites, but has never sent me a review, either in a very long time, or ever at all. I challenge YOU to send me a review. It only takes a minute - probably less than half the time it took for you to read this chapter! C'mon! You can do it, I know YOU can!**

**Until next, much love,**

**Marti**


	31. Leyla and the New Year

**Disclaimer: I own Wren and her relatives, including the adorable Leyla, but the rest I do not. And, for the record, I am sorely disappointed that I do not. Own the rest, I mean.**

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****Spitfire21: Yes, I do think it takes a good ten chapters for this thing to take hold, doesn't it? Thank you so much for reviewing!!!**

**DanikaLareyna: Actually… did the math… you _were_ the 200th! Wow! And Happy Birthday! This next chapter is for you!**

**Aviarianna O Lorien: Oh, thank you so much! Just an OC, not a self-insert, but I totally get what you mean. Hee! Your PS made me laugh – I should hang that up at work.**

**Notwritten: Yup, vinegar sure does. It can stop a sore throat before it starts. Have a good one!**

**Lady Cobweb: Oh, he does. He's the Goblin King. He's perpetually adorable.**

**DarkHero87: Aw!!! You are so SWEET! Thank you!!!!**

**Sammi C: Hey, glad you're getting better! Sorry for the ER trip… I've been there. At least you're sick… me? I fainted into a bowl of chips and salsa twice at a restaurant, earning myself an ambulance ride to the ER. And then waited seven hours for them to tell me I'm sensitive. Grr.**

**Autumn92685039: Hee… that game sounds like the opposite of that old computer message: "you have performed an illegal operation". Stupid stuff. Hey, here's hopin!**

**Silver Rebel: What more can I say? You rock… no, wait! I got it! You're the _Nazz_. Hee.**

**Calla Lillie: Hmm. Good fics? Well, I have some in my favorites, and I'm also in a C2 that is good completed Labyrinth fics. Worth checking out. Oh, and almost anything by those people on my favorite author list are pretty good, too.**

**Panchat: Wow, thank you for the compliment! I'm flattered! I feel special now…**

**Adelaide Holmes: Hey, no sweat! I hope my drabble gives you plenty of humor!**

**Nikki: Ha! I'm like that with tissues, too! Only… I have to be careful, or my dog makes off with them, and they're in shreds all over the house!**

**Salsagirl626: Aww! I'm glad you like Wren. I like her, too. Yay, you liked my art! Whoohoo! Hey, good luck with finals!**

**Kat: Hello again! Hee… hey, go pester Danika for a pic of Leyla… she's obsessed with her, and has doodled a couple of her, that I totally approve of! Thanks for the reminders**

**Contraltissimo: Yep. Ketchup and mustard. It happens. What's worse? Goo on the desk, or under the chair?? Lol!**

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**Music Recommendations: **

**_What are you doing, New Year's Eve?_ by Clay Aiken – yes, this is a cover, but a good one. I think it's way cute.**

**_Kooks_ by David Bowie – Aw. This just… aw. I can totally see Wren, Jareth, and Leyla.**

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"Wren?"

I frowned at my cell phone, "Julie? Hi, yeah, this is Wren. This _is_ my cell…"

My sister in law laughed, "Ah, I know. But I wasn't sure… oh, you know. Other people _do_ answer other people's cell phones. What if Jareth had answered?"

I snorted, "I hope he wouldn't sound this girly on the phone, Julie,"

I pulled the phone away from my ear, while it burst with giggles. Julie is very sweet, and has an awesome sense of humor. I like her, a lot. But, as much as I like her, she only really calls me for one reason – ah, okay, two reasons. One, she needs a baby sitter, and two, Gideon refused to do the calling.

"Ah, Wren, you're so funny!" she said, still giggling.

I sighed, "So I'm told. What's up, Julie?"

I heard her sigh on the other end of the line, "Oh, this is awkward to ask… what are your plans for New Years? I won't ask you my question if you have plans."

I shrugged. Truth was, I had never been a big New Years person. So many people had big parties and dressed up all nice and, well, drank, and I wasn't all that fond of it. Personally, I liked to find some place that wasn't crowded, where I could write in my journal and then, later, watch fireworks. Typically, this included me staying at home, and then climbing up the ladder on the side of the house to sit on the roof, though last year Persephone had been in France, so she'd asked me to stay at her place and look after it that night, and I'd watched an awesome firework show from her bedroom window.

Now? Well, I thought I'd find a way to do something similar, and invite Jareth, but… I still didn't have huge plans. Keeping it quiet was my main goal. I said as much to Julie on the phone.

I could almost see her frown, "No parties? Jareth not taking you to some fancy shin-dig?"

"Nope," I said, "As far as I know, he's not much on New Years, either. I still thought I'd spend it with him, but no big parties on my schedule."

She sighed again, "Okay," she began, "I have a proposition for you. Isaac and Berty are going to my parents house to spend the night with their cousins, but Leyla is too little. I am _dying_ to have a date with Gid, and he said if I could find a sitter for Leyla, he'd take me out to the huge blockparty, or some fancy whatever, if there is one… whatever! It's a free-date card! I'm excited. Problem is, there are no sitters available on New Years Eve."

I smiled, "You want me to take Leyla?"

"Oh, Wren, I'm near begging. I _need_ to go out with Gideon. Seriously. So, here's what I thought. You can come over to our house and watch Leyla here. We'd bring her over, but it's easier since her bed time is eight, she can just be put down in her own bed.

"But, I also know it's New Years, and you've got yourself one sweet piece of arm candy that I am certain you'd like to spend the evening with, am I right?"

I was glad Julie couldn't see my cheeks go red, "That would be right."

"Leyla seems to like Jareth – I have no idea why, even though he is a nice guy… but come on, you know how she is about strangers – so, anyway, he's invited, too. You two can order some pizza or whatever and watch the fireworks from our back yard."

I snickered, "What does Gideon say about me having my boyfriend over babysitting with me?"

There was a scoff on the other end, "He fussed about it, but… I'm not worried. You're a good kid, and I can lend you my pepper-spray. I know you wouldn't be seeing the guy if he was a player."

"Very true. Good luck trying to convince Gideon of that, though."

She giggled, "Already did. He may not be fully convinced, but I'm his wife. I have my ways, and nothing will stand between me and a date with my hubby."

I nodded, "Okay, pizza and a evening under the stars with Leyla. Sounds like a plan to me."

* * *

"You celebrate the beginning of every, single new year?" Jareth asked me, incredulous, "Does that not become tiring?"

I toyed with a scroll that was on his desk, which he was sitting behind, in his study, "Well, now that I think about it, it probably would be tedious for you, but we mortals see it as a chance to start out fresh, new, and like to party."

He gave me a pointed look, "Escaping one's self is impossible, regardless of what day or year it may be."

I rolled my eyes, "I know that. Most people do know that. But we also like to celebrate the New Year. It's a big party thing. And there are fireworks! You'd like them. They're big, loud, and sparkly."

He sat down the scroll he was going over and tilted his head to the side, regarding me. I felt kind of silly then, while he was all in his business stuff. Sometimes, he was just Jareth, a guy who could do magic and was really hot; he did spend so much time with me above ground, that at times it didn't quite register that he was a King, an actual King, with duties and responsibilities to attend to. At the moment, he looked highly regal and professional.

And I suddenly felt guilty for asking him at all.

"You know what?" I said, quickly, heading towards the door, "It's… it's okay. No biggie, and I'm sitting anyway, so you don't have to worry about it if it's busy and all that-" I turned away from the desk, intending to face the door and hurry out of it, but found myself face to face with his chest, instead. "Oh."

He regarded me, curiously, "Wren… if you ask, I will gladly attend with you, you know that."

I looked away, "I know that… but what if you were busy? I wouldn't want you to, I don't know… stop something important, just for me."

He reached out and captured one of the hands in his fingers. I looked up at him. He smiled, softly, "Wren, _you_ are important. I am courting you. As such, regardless of what my work requires of me, I fully intend to make time to be with you. There are very few things that would demand so much of my time that I could not come to you, at least for a while. All you need to do is ask."

By the time he'd finished speaking, I was grinning. "Then, I'm asking," I began, "Are you busy?"

He glanced at his scrolls, "Well, I may be a bit late, but I will gladly come."

I squealed and threw my arms around his neck. "Oh, you are the best, GK, you know that?" I felt one of his arms wrap around my waist, to squeeze me back, but it paused, briefly, at my side. His fingers moved quickly, tickling me. "Eeeyaah!" I blurted, wiggling out of his grasp. I glared at him, mockingly.

He smirked, moving once again to take his seat behind his desk, then simply smiled, "Now, go on, Wren. The sooner I am finished with these, over the next couple of days, the sooner I will be able to join you on New Years Eve to tend," he grinned and turned back to his scroll, "Little Leyla."

* * *

I loved going to Gideon's place. I guess it was because they'd been gone for so long, you know? It's the same kind of thing with Persephone's townhouse. Perry's kept her place here, even though she did technically move out of state, once she got that big business job; her townhouse always made it feel like part of her would always be here. Gideon, though, had moved to Vermont, where Leyla was born, and then back a heck of a lot closer to us, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

It had been all in job transfers, from what I hear. I was very upset when they initially moved, back when Isaac and Berty were little. I missed the boys, a lot. It was only when Leyla was a baby, several years later, that Gid got transferred again, and they moved to New Mexico. At that time, they'd come to visit for a week, but were then off again.

I still missed the kids – Berty and I often got online to play virtual chess together – and was really sad that I hadn't had the chance to spend time with little Leyla.

But their time in New Mexico was rather short, because this last summer, Gid was hired on by a local business here, with better benefits and higher pay. With the higher pay, he'd bought a house across town. They'd finally moved back in November, not very long before Thanksgiving. It was nice to have them back, at last, and even better when they'd come for Thanksgiving, even if it had freaked me out, at first (you know, due to Jareth being there, and the short notice, and being fearful that Gideon might freak out when he met Jareth).

So, now I had a new hobby, it seemed – Leyla sitting. I think Julie was the happiest about their move back, because her family was here, too. She jokes that the reason why they could afford their nice house was because they can now save money on sitters for the kids.

And, I admit, I'm a sucker for the cute kids. Always have been. So, I sit, pretty much for free, as long as they're willing to order in pizza, and leave me out some good movie to watch when the kids have gone to bed.

New Years Eve, though, I wasn't really caring about movies.

Julie all but ran for the door when I arrived. Her parents had already come and taken the boys with them, so Leyla was my only concern. Gideon was barely able to wave to me as his wife dragged him out the door.

I locked it once they left and then went off to find Leyla (Julie had left her playing in her room, with her toys on the floor, while they snuck out).

"Leyla," I whispered, sneaking into her room. She was sitting on her carpet with a stack of haphazard blocks, beside her and her Reindeer. Yes, Reth, the Reindeer. But, when she heard me, the tiny girl jumped up, knocking over her stack of blocks and ran at me.

"Ren!" she squealed as I picked her up.

"Hey baby!" I said, "Whatcha doing?"

She pointed down to her blocks and toys, "Bloks."

"Cool. Can I play? We can make a castle."

She nodded, and we got busy on our project.

* * *

We made three castles with her blocks, using each one for a only a few minutes before wildly knocking it down and starting on the next one, which usually looked about the same as the one before. After that, though, we just…

Well, there was one awkward moment when she asked were mommy and daddy were… we almost had a crying problem… but I quickly snatched her up and raced to the living room, where the stereo system was. I punched on a CD, and started dancing around the room, dipping her and tickling her, and spinning around wildly. It was fun enough that she forgot about crying. Ah, I love Leyla.

She was squealing and laughing so much, I didn't even notice the glitter behind me. Leyla, on the other hand saw it right away, and did that little kid thing where they go kinda limp so they can squiggle out of your arms when they want down, gibbering all the way, "Zibba nonnie Rethieeee!"

I almost dropped her when she did that squiggly thing. "Whoa, Lala, what the heck?"

She ran behind me. I turned and smiled. Jareth was there, squatting down as Leyla ran, squealing with delight, into the arms of the Goblin King.

Who, I had to point out, was dressed rather… goblin-kingly. He was wearing his usual stuff… I had kind of expected him to wear his Aboveground things, to blend in…

But, then again, who would he be blending in for? Leyla? She wouldn't care. And then there was me. He'd probably leave before Gideon and Julie got home, and we weren't going anywhere, anyway.

He picked her up into his arms as she gibbered at him, and I noticed instantly how her tiny hands twisted in the ruffles of his shirt. Maybe it had an appeal to kids? Oh well. I didn't mind.

"Hey there, GK," I said, happily, "Glad you could make it!"

"As am I," he said, still smiling at the tiny girl with a mass of blond hair in his arms.

I inwardly snorted. It was probably a good thing that Julie had ordered us a couple of pizzas (which had arrived earlier). If we'd had to go anywhere, people could easily think, with Jareth's hair, that Leyla was his… and then she had obvious Neilson features, like me… it wouldn't be much of a stretch of the imagination to think she was _ours_.

Good heavens… imagine the explaining I would have to do if I ran into people I knew!

I promptly zoned out, my brain pondering the prospect of actually having children with Jareth… that was something I hadn't thought about (not seriously, at least) before. What would they look like? Who's eyes would they have? And then, of course, my mind backtracked a bit into other ideas, such as, if I were having a child with Jareth, that would mean we'd be married… And that was when I realized that Jareth had a big smile on his face and was sending me odd glances while he talked idly to Leyla…

"…now, repeat after me," he was saying to her, "I wish the goblins would take me…"

I snapped to attention, "JARETH!"

He grinned at me, "Only joking," he said, spinning away from me with Leyla in his arms. Were it not for the fact that she was giggling and having the time of her life, I so would have smacked him.

* * *

There are always bound to be things that you never thought you would ever see in your life. When you do see them, they tend to strike you in different ways… you may laugh, you may be stunned, you may feel awed.

Well, when I saw Jareth eating a slice of pizza off a small plate with hearts on it, while sitting in an very small pink chair, at a pink plastic table, and wearing a sparkly tiara and a blue feathered boa around his neck as my niece served him imaginary tea, I couldn't seem to do anything but sit back and smile.

Well, that, and wish like mad that I had a camera or something. It was too dang funny… but also too cute.

Leyla was so happy, running around her room, finding things to show him… I think she'd shown him all of her stuffed animals, at least twice. It was a pity that I could only make out a few words from her, here and there, because she was being so official about the tea party, which not only included Jareth, but two teddy bears and a baby doll.

She was wearing a pink tutu as she went around arranging every little thing… I hated to interrupt… Leyla, from what I could tell, was playing and not eating, and she needed to eat her dinner, especially if her bed time would be in a couple of hours.

I inhaled, about to interrupt, to ask how Leyla's slice of pizza was coming, but stopped. From my place in the doorway, I watched as Jareth directed Leyla to her plate, encouraging her to eat.

She looked at it, the slice of pizza cut up in small pieces so she could eat it without getting it everywhere, and then looked at him, as if to ask, "Do I have to?"

He lowered his head and looked at her squarely, "It is rude to throw a party, even a tea party, and not eat with your guests, Lala."

She nodded and seated herself beside him, reaching out tiny fingers to pick up pizza squares and chew them carefully. I also watched him reach out with a paper napkin and clean the sauce from her mouth, and helped her when it got on her fingers.

I had to walk away before I squealed.

* * *

The evening had gone by quicker than I had expected. Jareth occupied Leyla better than I could have hoped… but, it wasn't as though I was excluded from the fun. No, in fact, I was a big part of it.

A little while after I left them at the tea party, and had seated myself in the front room, to scribble some notes on a writing pad I keep in my purse, I heard giggling from the hallway, and then shushing. I noticed I was being watched over the back of the sofa. When I turned, two sets of eyes quickly ducked below the couch.

Stifling a snicker, I put my book away… and was immediately pounced on. I was pulled to the carpet and tickled madly by four hands, two of which obviously knew my ticklish spots better that the other two did.

Oh, he could so play dirty.

And the night went on about the same way. I was able to turn the tides on Jareth, and Leyla readily joined me in attacking him as he laughed heartily (though… it seemed he wasn't nearly as ticklish as me). After a bit, of course, Jareth and I both turned on Leyla, tickling her, too… this, naturally, erupted into a game of hide-and-seek which lasted easily for another thirty minutes…

Before I knew it, it was 8:15, a quarter past Leyla's bed time. Oops, on my part.

She was very willing to get into her footed PJ's, but fussed terribly with me after that, still wanting to play with 'Reth'. Jareth solved this problem by offering to tell her a bedtime story. He scooped her up, brought her to me, I kissed her goodnight, and he carried her off to her room.

I wanted to leave well enough alone, but my curiosity got the better of me. I snuck down the hallway to listen at the door.

He was currently telling her a story about goblins…

"… but, the small goblin found a new stick, instead."

Leyla gibbered something.

"Yes," Jareth said, in a soft voice, "It was much better than the one he lost."

She gibbered something else… her voice getting distinctly slower, and softer.

He laughed a little, "Of course, little one," there was some shuffling… I peeked around the corner. Jareth was still holding her in his arms, but now he had her cradled, her head turned into his shirt ruffles. And… it was all I could do not to make some kind of squealing noise… he started to sing to her…

"Up, up in the sky, where the little birds fly,

Down, down in the nest, where the little birds rest,

With a wing on the left, and a wing on the right,

The little birdies sleep all through the night.

Then the round sun comes up, and the moon goes away,

Good morning dear children, the birdies all say,"

I blinked. How did he know that one? That one… my mother sang that to us, all of us, when we were little, my siblings and I. I hadn't heard it in years… but I knew it, and would never forget it.

He had sang slowly, and now, by all appearances, the tiny girl in his arms was asleep. I watched him lay her down and cover her with her blanket in her bed… her big-girl bed with rails on it, so she wouldn't fall off.

When he turned and saw me standing there, I distinctly saw a pink twinge to his cheeks. I smiled. After Leyla's door was shut, and we were down the hallway, I asked him, in hushed tones, "How did you know that song?"

He raised his eyes, innocently, "What song?"

I raised an eyebrow at him, "That lullaby. How did you know it? My mother used to sing that to us… Leyla's sure to know it."

He shrugged, trying to change the subject, "Ah, merely magic, Wren. I am the Goblin King, after all."

I decided to let it drop for the moment, and instead pulled him close and hugged him. As he always does, he enfolded me in his arms and put his nose in my hair. I smiled, "You were wonderful with her… she loves you, you know."

He chuckled, "I gather as much. She cares very much about you, too."

"Oh? And how would you know that?"

He shrugged, "She told me."

Flopping down onto the couch in the living room, I looked at him. He seated himself gracefully beside me. How does he do that? I mean, I don't think I could look dainty or refined to save my life, but he manages to look so suave, almost all the time. I sighed, "Okay, tell me, how do you speak two-year-old gibberish?"

At first, Jareth frowned at me, and then he quickly covered his mouth to muffle the laughter. When he composed himself, he said, "I understand Leyla for three reasons, Wren. First off, practice. I deal with small children fairly regularly. Secondly, Leyla speaks perfectly well, just too fast for her small mouth to keep up, and it tends to run things together. And, finally," he smirked, "Her speech is not that far different from the goblins."

I snorted and laughed as quietly as I could. Didn't want to wake Leyla, after all.

After a moment, Jareth began saying something or other about the goblins and how they speak incredibly fast when they're small… I zoned out, again, watching him. He was still smiling faintly. Somehow, before I'd met Jareth, and even some time after, I didn't think of him as a smiling person. Now, though… I liked his smiles. I saw them more frequently and, though I know he has to keep up his image of a tough ruler, I say that I rather like his smiles.

For no real reason, other than he was making me smile, I crooked a finger at him, motioning him to lean closer. He raised his eyebrows and leaned in, turning his ear towards me, but I turned him back. Pressing my hand against his cheek, and then snaking my fingers along his jaw, I pulled his face to mine, kissing him soundly for a good moment.

When he pulled away, he was smiling, but looked a little curious, "And what was that for, my dearling?"

I grinned and got up, heading to the kitchen to get a bottled water, "You're just too adorkable."

"I'm _what?_"

* * *

Now, let me just say, that the only thing worse than going to a big noisy party on New Years Eve would have to be watching one on TV. I know some people absolutely love it, and good for them, but… I'm a more of a quiet person.

And yet, at nine at night, there is not much else to watch, but big parties. It had taken me, with Jareth's help, a good thirty minutes to locate things that had been misplaced during the games of the night, and to get the house neat again. I'm sure it would have been quicker than that, but we were both trying to be quiet.

Jareth did offer to use magic to help set the house in order, but I wasn't about to risk it. I mean, what if… just what if? Magic had too many what-ifs, and I didn't want something strange happening in my brother's house.

When we'd finished, I flopped onto the couch again. Jareth leaned back next to me, and I turned and laid down, putting my head in his lap. His gloved fingers toyed with my hair, almost of their own accord.

"Wren?"

I looked up at him, "Yes?"

He was giving me a quizzical look, "Do you mind if I inquire why you do not revel in the grand activities that so many of the Aboveground do, on this night? It is obviously an important night," he motioned to the house around us, "Even your siblings wish to enjoy it. But, you do not… why is that?"

I sighed. Did he know how many times I'd thought about that very question, though not put nearly as eloquently, before?

"I'm a quiet person, Jareth," I said, "I've never been much for New Years, really. The big parties don't suit me very much."

I watched him turn his head to the side. In a soft, but also somewhat stern voice, he said, "Is that all?" he stroked my hair and the side of my face, "Please tell me, Wren. You were, after all, very thrilled to have me join you this evening. If this night meant nothing to you, why ask me to come?"

I pulled a face, "I'm not lying… I… I always have been the quiet girl. It… ah," I heaved a sigh. "It's the truth that I don't like the big parties. I mean, okay, part of me does, but… most of me doesn't. The main reason for that is that I don't fit in there. I'm quiet and shy, and New Years parties are rarely for the meek. And… I… I think I've always been embarrassed."

His blue eyes were laden with concern, "What ever for?"

My cheeks went pink, "There's a tradition, on New Years, Jareth. At midnight, you… you kiss someone," I turned my head away from him, my voice feeling very small, "And this is the first year I've had someone. Long ago, I stopped going to the parties, because no one ever wanted to kiss me, and I never had anyone. It always hurt. It made me feel like I was trying, and failing, to fit into a world that I didn't belong in. So, I typically write in my journal until midnight, and then watch fireworks from the roof."

He started moving, "Up," he said. Highly disgruntled, I obeyed and sat up. He stood and faced me. There was an odd moment, that made me snicker like made, where he regarded his clothes, straightening them and brushing them off. Then he held a hand out to me.

"Dance with me, my dearling."

"Pardon?"

He smirked, "You know, Wren. Dancing. Two people, moving around together, usually to music. I assumed you knew the concept."

I rolled my eyes as I took his hand and let him pull me to my feet, "Cheeky," I muttered. I tried to look as mad as I could… but… yeah, no. I can't be mad at him when he dances with me. It's impossible. And… even better than waltzing or the big fancy things he's done with me, this was a sweet slow dance.

I swear, in his arms, I could hear music.

And, I'm sure that time flies when you're having fun, because soon I heard booms outside. "Fireworks!" I yanked him towards the patio door. I threw the door open, racing out into the night, Jareth on my heels.

"Look!" I pointed upwards.

Bursts of color and light were exploding not far from the house. There was a show down a few blocks away. I watched Jareth. He seemed to be pondering them.

"Quite noisy, are they not?" he looked at me, "Will they wake Leyla?"

Crap. "Um, I'll go check on her…"

"No need," he said, catching my arm, holding out a crystal to me. I looked inside to see Leyla, in her bed, sleeping soundly.

I nodded, "Okay, then. She's alright… heavy sleeper, apparently."

The crystal was gone, and Jareth was before me. I smiled up at him. "Happy New Year, Jareth."

He smirked again, "What? No midnight kiss?"

I smacked his arm, but reached a hand up to his face, all the same. He was kind enough to lean down and meet me half way, rather than making me attempt to reach him all on my own (since he's, you know, taller than me), and… did I kiss him? Or did he kiss me? Whatever. _We_ kissed.

"Happy New year, dearling." He murmured against my mouth.

"It is now," I replied, kissing him again.

* * *

**And, I hope everyone DID have an awesome New Year… a few weeks ago… heh. **

**And, to everyone who accepted my review challenge, from those who review regularly to those first timers out there: THANKYOU!!! You made one silly writer very happy. This was the most reviews I have gotten thus far on a single chapter, and… aw, I just love you guys!!!!**

**Much love,**

**Marti**


	32. A Sisters Day and TJ

**Disclaimer: I have lost my mind. Isn't it wonderful?**

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**Contraltissimo: Hee! Jareth is rather useful, isn't he? Oh, and he loves fireworks. Not the noise, but, hey, shiny, right?**

**DanikaLareyna: Weirdo.**

**Anij: Family bug? Who? Where? Wouldn't know a thing about that… heh…**

**DarkHero87: Aw, thanks!**

**Silver Rebel: Ah, thank you for your wonderful reviews, my friend. I hope thinks perk up for you, soon.**

**Notwritten: and I enjoy your reviews!**

**Sammi C: Hee! Aw, so glad you liked it!**

**SalsaGirl626: Oh, this chapter was not easy to write. I hope I did it justice… but, all the same, here it is!**

**Karine Dragon'sheart: Isn't Squyshee great? I just love it when he turns up, even if unexpectedly. Hee.**

**Nikki: Ah, you can never tell when Jareth will show up and just decide to samba his way around a class room. I swear, my meetings at work have NEVER been more interesting. Hee.**

**PyroSlytherin: Ah, man, your review made me make squealy noises! THANK YOU!!!**

**MagicalGirl23: Yes, exactly!!! Aw… -sniff- I… I can't thank you enough for that review. That's… yes, that's it. You've got it, exactly. –sniff-**

**00000000000000000000**

**Music Recommendations:**

**_Love and Affection_ by Nelson – whoa, this reminds me of this chapter. Read on, and go listen… maybe you'll see what I do. Meh.**

**_Strangers When We Meet_ by David Bowie – oh, yes. This song is very fitting.**

* * *

"Remind me why I'm here," I said, turning my noise up at some perfume bottle that contained a fragrance combination that was just… blech. Disgusting. Who in their right mind would wear that stuff?

"Oooh, is that Brittany's Spears? I love that brand!"

Orla's hand reached over in front of my face, grabbing the bottle I had just sneered at. She examined it closely, then sat it down and pouted, "Darn. I was sure it was Brittany's."

I turned to my sister and glared, "Okay, I'll ask this again – why am I here?"

She frowned at me, "I asked you to come, Wren. I didn't force you, you know."

I sighed. Why can't Orla and I do anything but butt heads with one another? "But, you see, you didn't ask me. You called mom, and asked _her_ to ask me, and mom _insisted_ that I come with you, because you and I, as she put it, need to do more together."

She vaguely nodded, "She's right, we do. You and I never do things together, you know…" her attention was quickly caught by a shiny bottle on a shelf.

"There's a reason for that, you know," I said as I gave her a look for being so giddy over a bottle. Seriously, unless there's a genie in it, what's the point of paying so darn much for it?

She sat the bottle down and frowned at me, facing me fully, "Wren, can't you just try?"

I shrugged, "Try what? To be interested in smelly things that make my nose itch? Sure, I'll try, but I've been trying, and I can tell you know that you'd better not hold your breath on it, because so far, it isn't working."

"Okay," she said, almost huffily, "I'm willing do to something you like, too. But I don't know what you like – isn't that the problem?"

"Funny," I grumbled, "I know what you like, and you don't know squat about me."

She huffed and stomped her foot, "Stop being so snarky with me! I'm trying to do something nice with my sister!"

I held my breath and counted to three. There was some truth to what she said – we never do anything but fight, it seems. It wasn't always that way. Being so close in age, she and I were really close when we were younger. But, when we were in school, I got chubby and she got really pretty, and suddenly she was interested in all the things I wasn't. We just… became individuals. Two completely opposite individuals.

And then there were always the _problems_ I'd had with her in Junior High and High School. As much as I want to forget those, I can't. They're never far from my mind… I can't help it. They hurt me, _she _had hurt me… and when a person never really says they're sorry, its hard to get over it.

But she was my sister. I should be able to get along with her. I needed to keep my snide comments to myself, the ones that came from our obvious differences, and try to find common ground with her.

I raised my hands in resignation, "Okay, I'm sorry, Orla. I'll try and… be better."

She smiled at me, "That's all I'm asking for, Wren."

I followed her around the store for awhile longer, trying not to faint in the high fragrance levels. Seriously, it was not good. And, Orla kept making me smell things, too. 'Isn't this nice?', and, 'this is SO you, Wren', and, 'what kind of image does this portray?'. I tolerated it all.

And it wasn't half bad, really. I was always worried that she was up to something, you know? Usually, she was. And, after the way she'd been at Thanksgiving and Christmas with Jareth… I couldn't fight the feeling that she was up to no good. Or something like that. But, maybe she wasn't.

"Okay, Orla," I said as we were leaving (finally! Oh, I could breathe again!) the shop, "Want to go pottery painting?"

She swirled around, her golden hair reminding me of a Vidal Sassoon commercial, and gave me a highly mortified look, "Do what?"

"We did your thing… I thought maybe you might want to try your hand at some of the things I like to do, like paint pottery. You could make yourself a little fairy or something cute to go on your shelf… or picture frames! Or – oh, these are cool – they have these odd shaped coffee mugs…"

She shook her head, "I don't drink coffee, Wren – it stains your teeth something fierce."

I paused. One, two, three. "You don't have to use them for coffee, Orla. I'm just saying they're cute. You might like them. And… you know I don't drink coffee, either…"

She gave me that mortified look again, "Well… painting isn't my thing, Wren…"

"Duh, but you might have fun. You never know, until you try it, right?"

I watched my too pretty sister suck on her bottom lip for a moment while she thought hard about her response. What that too much to ask? Go paint pottery? I just spent nearly an hour shopping for lotion. LOTION! And I didn't even buy any, because I have the skin moisturizing kind at home that has no scent, and pleases me just fine. I don't kneed strawberry-mango-pineapple-yogurt-blitz slathered on me. But, I had done it, because she'd asked, and she was my sister.

She didn't even have to do the pottery, if she didn't want to, she could just come with me, and talk with me while I did it.

She batted her eyes at me, "Are you sure there isn't something else, perhaps something less messy, that we could do together?"

My high defiance shot up. I wanted to say, right there, "No! We pottery paint, or we do nothing together at all!", but knew I didn't dare. My mother would kill me if I did.

Instead, I tried my best to find something to say to her, something not quite so defiant. I wasn't able to think of anything. Perhaps there are just people that have nothing to say to one another. I blinked, trying my best to think of something…

"I'm sorry, Orla," I said, turning away from her, "I shouldn't have come today. I'll see you around."

"Wren!" she squeaked, grabbing my arm, "Gosh! C'mon! there's got to be something we can do, right?"

"Why do you even want to try?" I asked before I could stop myself. "What's the deal? I mean, as much as I would like to think you're trying your best to do something with me, to find some common ground with me, I get the feeling that you are wanting me to do your stuff, and you really don't care about me – but for the life of me, I can't see the why in it. What do you want from me, Orla?"

She scoffed, "Now you're just being silly. I… okay, so I'm not the best at being… open minded… but why do you think the worst of me? I mean… yeah, why?"

I didn't move. I merely lifted one eyebrow at her. Did she really have to ask such a question? Seriously! And, as I watched her bite her lip and look away briefly, I knew she knew what I meant.

"Well," she said, somewhat awkwardly, "Why… how about… what if we went to get something to eat, then? I can do that, I love to pack it away,"

I inwardly grunted. Why couldn't I have been on the high-metabolism end of the gene-pool, too? It so wasn't fair.

"…and, you can pick. I promise, I will go wherever you like."

I grinned wickedly. Oh, I knew EXACTLY where I would take her… I inhaled and started to say something, but her attention was quickly drawn off.

"T.J.!" she squealed, waving an arm wildly at someone behind me. I sighed, but didn't bother to turn around. I hated to say it, but Orla's friends were pretty much all the same, and… well, I'll just leave it at that.

Besides, with the scene Orla was making, whoever it was would certain come over, and I would see them soon enough. No need to waste my time and energy in turning.

"Hey, Orla," said a masculine voice just behind me. He moved, as expected, into my sight and my sister threw herself at him, giving him a huge hug.

When she moved away, I got a good look at the beef. I groaned, inwardly. The guy… man, he just screamed of the surfing/snowboarding/extreme sports kind of guy. He was of medium height, not too much taller than Orla and I (but not nearly as tall as Jareth), had relatively broad shoulders (too broad for my taste, I preferred Jareth's more proportionate ones) and was, for lack of a better word, flatly beefy (the strong yet lean look is so much better on guys). He was blonde, but had dark brown streaks thrown all through his hair, giving him a darker appearance, and his hair was in that slightly longer style that, while not long-long, just kinda gave it a slight curl and let it tumble around his ears, one of which had a ring in it.

But, honestly, the part that just made me want to scream out something in regards to the value of individuality, was his clothes. He was wearing a white, crew-neck T-shirt that was mostly likely a size too small for him, subsequently showing off his form, and carpenter jeans.

In short, he was pretty much a clone of every other guy Orla had ever been seen with… well, almost every guy. But never mind that.

"Oh, T.J.," Orla cooed, "What are you doing here?"

He pulled away from her, a little, and frowned, "You called and invited me, remember?"

She laughed, causing me to seriously frown at her, "No, silly," she said, lightly slapping him on the arm, "I called to tell you about my plans and why I couldn't spend this weekend with you, saying I had invited my sister!"

She turned and looked at me, her face red, "Boys, huh? A couple of dates and they just can't live without you. Am I right?"

I said nothing. The only thing I could say to her would be vicious and mean, so I said nothing.

T.J., though, frowned even deeper, "Just one date, Orla…" he shook his head, almost to himself… I knew that shake. It was the kind of shake you did when you were trying to brush off something that annoyed you terribly. I had already done that twice in the last hour. I gave T.J. an inner nod. If my sister annoyed him that much, he had that much more respect from me – it meant he wasn't a complete dunderhead.

Then he gave her a look, a kind of, stop-acting-weird-and-be-polite look. "So… your sister," he gave me the briefest of glances, "Are you going to introduce us?"

Orla gave off a bright trill of laughter, "Ah, oh, yes… dummy me, I didn't even think…" she put a hand on my shoulder, "T.J., this is my baby sister, Wren. And Wren, this is my, heh, rather good friend, T.J.. He's such a sweetie."

T.J. looked at me, I mean really looked at me, for the first time as Orla introduced me. At first, he regarded me politely, if disinterestedly, but then he blinked a few times, and his expression changed to… well, given that I'm not used to getting looks from men in general, I can't say that I know how to properly explain it. He totally looked… struck? Is that the word for it?

It almost made me uncomfortable. Almost.

He extended his hand to me, almost timidly, "Wren… Hi, I'm T.J.. Wren… I like that name, it's pretty. Not something you hear every day."

Orla, who had been saying something, stopped dead and frowned at him.

I reached out and took his hand, shaking it, "Well, it's not that special, really, but I like it. Thanks…" after I'd touched his hand, he'd placed his other on top of it. I didn't know what to do, so I, awkwardly, patted his hands with mine, hoping he'd let go. He didn't.

Instead, he looked down at my hands, at my left hand… Okay, was this weird to anyone else? It sure was bugging me. He looked at my left hand, the middle finger of which carried my crystal ring, from Jareth.

"Dude, awesome ring," he said, finally releasing me.

I blushed, remembering my vacation, for no real good reason… Jareth insisting I wear his official ring, and moving this one to my other hand… I smiled, "My boyfriend gave it to me," I said (and, man, did that feel good to say… my _boyfriend_), "Not long after I met him."

T.J. nodded, regarding me again. Then I noticed he was looking at my necklace. What was it with this boy and jewelry? Perhaps he was gay… I snorted faintly at the thought. Wouldn't that be a horrid shock to Orla? Just thinking about her face if he was, and if he told her made me want to giggle like a mad woman.

"Did your boyfriend give you that necklace, too?" he asked, suddenly.

I shook my head, not to disagree, but to shake off the shock. Something about the way he said it just… took me by surprise. "Um, yes, he did. How did you know?"

He shrugged, "Something about it reminds me of your ring, I guess. They don't seem like, you know, a set or anything, but… maybe it's something about the style… they could have easily come from the same shop, or jeweler. They just have a certain something alike, you know?"

_Uh, how about because they both came from the Underground, and are probably swathed in magic?_ "Yeah… the necklace was a Christmas present."

Orla coughed, nervously, "Yes, Wren's got herself a man. Okay, now, T.J., since you're here… would you like to join us?"

My mouth fell open and I found myself gawking at my sister, in incredulous disbelief. I was FURIOUS! Okay, this was supposed to be, what had she called it, sisterly time? Something to that extent, and now she wants to invite her boy-toy? Or… whatever he was?

Ah, well, at least things made sense, now. THAT was her deal. She couldn't get Jareth's attention in the least, and he fawned over me. Well… maybe not fawned, but you know what I mean. His interest was in _me_, not _her_, and I bet that bothered her. Oh, not that she would truly, consciously, begrudge me a boyfriend, but I'm sure she, like so many others, would prefer if said boyfriend was short, tubby, and balding, or something. Orla was used to getting attention, and the fact that there was a hot guy, regardless of the fact that he was dating me, who didn't even spare her a second glance must be difficult on her.

So, she had planned this, invited her new man (or, at least, someone whom she was planning to make her new man… or was she? Maybe she just got him for a date, for this sole purpose… who knew?), to show off. She wants validation that the world hasn't completely gone mad, making her plain baby sister suddenly more attractive than she.

Huh. I'm sure she must have seen Thanksgiving and Christmas as that Twilight Zone episode where the woman has the face operation or something and in the end, everyone has ugly faces and considers her new, nice face to be ugly. Her world must really be in turmoil… and the mere thought of it made me smile.

But, all the same, I did not really want to spend time around Mr. Surfer-dude here. I couldn't, for the life of me, put my finger on what it was that bugged me about it, but he just… ah, never mind. I'll just leave it at that.

I didn't like the idea of spending more time around him, and I liked the idea of being a third wheel even less.

T.J. smiled at Orla, and then, to Orla's chagrin, at me, "I'd love to."

Crap.

* * *

Well, at least I wasn't the third wheel. I'll let that be the silver-lining in the whole mess I got myself into.

What happened? I'll tell you what happened.

First of all, Orla started up again on me picking some place for us to eat. I didn't want to do it anymore, but she insisted… so, fine, I went back to my original plan of picking some place she was sure to hate: The Sushi Steakhouse.

Uh, crazy name, I know. But… mmm good stuff. I don't like the raw sushi, really, but I love the rolls… California roll, baked scallops roll, and, of course, the eel roll. Sure, you might turn your nose up at the sound of it, heaven knows I did before I'd tried it, but it's good stuff, I tell you. (If you've never had it before, I whole heartedly recommend the California roll. It's just crab and rice and stuff… not too scary. And it's really good, too).

So, I suggested Sushi. Why? I mean, besides it being seriously yummy? Because Orla is one of those people who instantly thinks sushi raw fish, and has absolutely refused to try the stuff. Weenie.

She pulled that, oh-no-not-that-anything-but-that face. "Sushi? Are… you sure?"

I nodded, "You said I could pick, so suck it up."

T.J. looked at me, "You eat sushi?"

I shrugged, "Um, yeah. Why wouldn't I? It's good."

He smiled, "I love sushi – I just don't find many girls," I couldn't help but notice the quick glace he gave Orla, "Who like it."

Dang it. Why couldn't he have, you know, been allergic to shellfish?

Desperately trying to change the subject, or to at least take some of the focus off myself, I put a comforting arm around my sister (uh, and in case you're wondering, no, I don't know what had gotten into me). "Orla, you should like fish and sushi. It's good for you! Omega three's and stuff like that, right?"

She nodded, looking rather sulky. She said nothing, though, and we moved towards her car, to go for sushi.

The Steakhouse wasn't very crowded, so we were seated right away. They gave us two options for seating: either sitting at a dining table, or at the sushi bar. Now, I like both, but for different reasons. When I'm with a group of people I like, I prefer the table, so we can all sit and chat… but, when I'm in a tighter group, perhaps with people I would rather not be there with, the bar is great. Why? You only have to worry about two people, one on each side of you. And you don't have to look at them.

I spoke up first and asked for the bar.

It had, initially, seemed ideal. I mean… I could get away with putting Orla between T.J. and I, and I wouldn't have to look at either of them. But, quickly, I noticed there was a problem. Wait, no, correction; two problems. First problem was that Orla was sitting directly in front of some squid and octopus, and she looked almost green, and the second problem was that T.J. spent most of the time turned in his seat, talking to me across my sister.

"Wren, what do you do for fun?" he asked me as we finished up dinner. This was just one of many questions he had asked me. It was an unending stream of questions that was becoming like Chinese torture treatment. I just never ended. I couldn't even get him to answer many questions about himself. I steered the conversations around where Orla could join in, and she did here and there, but for the most part I felt like I was under a microscope.

Poor Orla. She'd eaten a plain roll, but wouldn't touch anything else and had pretty much taken over the bowl of edamame (soy beans) we'd ordered. She still eyed the contents of the bar, looking a little green around the gills.

"Um, I listen to music," I said, lamely.

His eyes lit up, "Really? Me too. Have you been to the Switchblade?"

"The what?"

Orla snorted into her lemonade, looking at T.J., "I don't think she has. It's not really her style."

He shurgged, "It's great live music, I thought she'd have been there."

I frowned, "What is the Switchblade?"

Orla flipped her hair, "Fairly newer music establishment downtown. Very hip place, live music, dancing, drinks if you drink," she wrinkled her nose, "But, thankfully, no smoking."

I nodded, "A club, you mean?"

T.J. shook his head, "It's not a stereotypical club. Imagine a cross between a coffee house and a club, and that better describes it. But it's a great place… hey, they're open tonight, would you like to go see it?"

I blanched. "What?"

Orla perked up, instantly, "Oh! Totally! Let's go! I LOVE dancing there!"

I shook my head, "No, I don't think so. Like Orla said, it's not my style."

"Aw, come on, Wren," Orla said, "You might have a good time. You should totally do it."

"Yes," T.J. added, "Come on. I hear they've got a great band tonight."

"Um…"

* * *

"…crap…" I muttered as I sat at the table beside T.J. and Orla. I wasn't happy to be there, I tell you. As stylish as the Switchblade may be, and as much as I hated to say my sister was correct… it wasn't my kind of place. I mean, seriously. Perhaps if it was more on the coffee house side of things, like T.J. mentioned, then perhaps, but… as it was, it was too club-like for me.

Call me nerdy, call me prudish, I don't care – I am not a club person. Unless, of course, it's a book club, or something.

Orla was chair dancing and enjoying herself, sipping at a bottled water and listening to the live music. T.J. was attempting to continue the string of questions he'd started at the Sushi Steakhouse.

"So, Wren," he asked, "What kind of music do you listen to?"

I sighed, "Soundtracks, classical stuff, odds and ends, and David Bowie."

He pulled a face, "Really? That's… unusual…"

A grin plastered itself on my face, "Isn't it? It's great to be strange."

He lifted his hands in defense, "Hey, I agree. I'm an odd one myself – I can't get enough of the fantasy and science fiction stuff. Music wise, I go for anything with a magical kind of flare. I just meant… Bowie seems a little flamboyant, don't you think?"

I smirked at him, turning my nose in the air, ever so slightly, "I happen to like flamboyant."

"Hey," Orla interrupted, "T.J., want to dance?"

He shrugged, "I don't really dance, Orla…"

She pouted. I snorted into my water glass. (I didn't want to order anything, so the waiter had sat me down a water glass… whatever). T.J. had gotten some kind of drink… the live group had been playing something very loudly, so I'd missed what it was that he ordered specifically, but I couldn't help but notice it looked rather alcoholic.

The music kicked up, and… I also couldn't help but notice T.J. was staring at me… not like in the eyes or something, but just… me. It was creeping me out, way too much…

I turned to Orla, "I think I'm going to go."

"No!" she squealed, taking hold of my arm, "Please stay Wren!"

"Yeah," T.J. chimed in, meeting my eyes and making me feel highly uncomfortable, "Stay."

I plopped back down on my chair and gulped down my water. Absently, I was rubbing my ring. I was always careful not to count the crystals in front of anyone, but honestly it was flatly tempting to make myself just vanish on the spot.

I wished, suddenly, and silently, that Jareth were with me. It would be so much easier. Really, most things, except for making cookies and baking treats, were easier to do when he was around.

T.J. was watching me yet again. This time, I turned up, ready to meet his eyes defiantly, as if to say, 'I know you're watching, so stop it already', but the moment I did, his eyes shot up in a strange look over my shoulder. First he snorted, about ready to laugh, but his smile faded quickly into a frown.

A hand landed on my shoulder.

I bit my lip and looked up.

Wonderful blue eyes were smirking down at me from behind a few loose strands of wild blond hair.

I didn't even notice the squeak I made, jumping up and nearly knocking over my chair to fling my arms around the Goblin King. In fact, it wasn't until I had my arms around his neck and he had partially lifted me up in a tight hug, that I actually realized I had jumped up at all.

"How did you know?" I whispered in his ear.

He turned his head slightly so he might whisper in return, "I have been feeling your distress all afternoon, my dearling. When you wished I was here, even a silent wish, I felt it quite plainly. I knew you needed me, and so I came."

I kissed his cheek, "You are the best, GK."

When I turned to Orla and T.J., my sister was doing her best not to scowl, or pout, or something rather spoiled, and T.J. was blinking at Jareth in disbelief.

I grinned, "T.J.," I said, "This is Jareth, my boyfriend. Jareth, this is Orla's friend, T.J."

Jareth inclined his head to the young guy, "A pleasure. And hello again, Orla,"

She nodded wordlessly and sucked down some more of her bottled water.

T.J. instantly was on his feet and had a hand extended towards Jareth, "Nice to meet you, Jareth… hey, do you come here often? You seem familiar."

Jareth looked around him, taking in his surroundings. I examined his clothes… He'd worn the shirt I like the best on him, a deep blue one that totally brings out his eyes, and his rather tight dark jeans. He had apparently tied back his hair, but, as usual, there were several strands around his face and on the top of his head that were either too short or too wild to be tamed by a mere hair band. I smiled – he looked very nice, indeed.

When we sat down, Jareth, in an unconscious motion, scooted his chair close to mine and wrapped on arm around me. This wasn't an act, I know he'd done this before, while we were watching television and the like. I wondered when it had become second nature for the Goblin King to place a comforting and protective arm around his girl?

"No," he said at last, to T.J., "I have not been to this establishment before. I have seen it, many times, but never have I attended. But, so far, I rather like it."

Orla gave him an overly innocent look, which seemed to indicate she was covering up irritation, "If you've never been here before, then how did you know to come here? We didn't plan on this, this was just a spur of the moment thing."

Jareth smiled at her coldly, and said, in all seriousness, "I contacted Wren via her empeethree and she informed me you would be here."

Everyone at our table, myself included, and even a few passersby, stopped and looked at him. There was a very awkward pause, in which Jareth just stared back.

I blinked, "Cell phone!" I all but shouted, "He meant my cell phone. Text messages… very useful, am I right?"

My sister's jaw dropped and she let out an indignant huff of a sound. "Wreeen," she whined, "This was supposed to be our _sister's_ day! You called Jareth?" I couldn't be certain, but I was almost positive that she stomped her foot under her chair.

I blinked and looked at my sister, "Um, and what do you call T.J.? The one mom gave up, or something?"

She began her pouting, sticking out her lips at me, "That's different Wren! I didn't call him during our day!"

I shook my head, vaguely, "I… okay, I could argue that, but I won't. Instead, I'll point out that regardless of how T.J. got to this point, he's here all the same and three is a crowd. You can't honestly hold it against me for not wanting to be a third wheel."

She crossed her arms and said nothing, choosing instead to go back to her chair dancing. I wondered if she was doing it to take her mind off T.J. paying me more attention than her…?

Well… I glanced at T.J. for a moment… apparently I wasn't the only person he was staring at. Oh, he was still watching me, but he seemed to now have a terrible fascination with Jareth. It was almost like he just couldn't figure him out, or something.

I wasn't sure which was more disturbing, the guy who's sorta-seeing my sister having more interest in me, or having more interest in MY man. Honestly, could the pretzel that was my life get any more twisted?

I felt more than heard a low rumble coming from Jareth. I turned my head looking for some kind of indication as to what was suddenly wrong. He wasn't paying much attention to anything other than my water glass, but just taking in the expression on his face, I knew what was upsetting him. Luckily, I was the only one close enough to hear the growl.

And, it was also lucky that I heard it, because it was nearly the only warning I got before he asked, "Wren, dearling, care to dance?"

"Um, sure…" Did Jareth even know how to dance to modern mortal music? Who was I kidding. He was the Goblin King. Of _course_ he did.

"Fabulous!" he almost scooped me out of my chair and walked me, somewhat gallantly, down to where people were dancing.

I eyed him, "Feeling jealous, GK?"

He spun me around and pulled me tightly against his chest. Looking down at me, a regal smirk graced face, "Highly. I can see why you called. That boy is obviously too entranced with you – such entrancement is not a good thing."

"Why would that be?"

His smirk turned into a kind of grimace, "Because said entrancement has spread to… others."

I laughed a little, "Aw, should I be the jealous one, then?"

His steps faltered just a little, but not enough for other people to notice, "Not unless you have fully lost your mind, Wren…" he hesitated, "or you are merely joking with me."

I gave him a squeeze, "There we go, now you get it."

Dang, he's a good dancer. I mean, really. I didn't have to think about the steps, we just _moved_. From time to time, he would turn me this way or that, or spin me so that our arms were entangled strangely for a turn around the floor, but he seemed to be so easy to follow.

At one point, he purposefully turned me around and dipped me down low, almost exactly like he had at my family's Christmas party, except this was slow and to the rhythm of the live music. One last time as the song came to a close, Jareth spun me around him and pulled me close.

Several people in the crowd were watching us closely, admiring either Jareth or his dancing… or both. Most likely both. I blushed, and Jareth led me back to the table where T.J. and Orla waited. T.J. looked slightly on the agitated side, and Orla looked almost depressed…

I groaned, slightly. I wasn't meaning to show off with Jareth, but… I mean, come on! He's the Goblin King! He's flashy and tends to make a show of things, regardless of where he is and what he's doing! Heck, I'm sure that, if he'd lower himself to do it, he could make the chore of cleaning the toilet appear as fascinating, trendy, and enjoyable as attending the Oscars!

A very small part of me felt bad for my sister. Sure, she may have had all the hot guys when we were in school, but… she'd be terribly hard pressed to find a guy who could beat my Jareth. He was just too dang pretty – and he probably knew that, too.

We reclaimed our chairs rather quietly, Orla still chair dancing, though not nearly as exuberantly as before.

"Nice moves," T.J. said, brushing stray hairs from his eyes, "Are you a dancer?"

Jareth began to mull over the question, but I laughed a little, "Well, not at the moment, is he?" When no one got my joke, I pulled a face and continued, "He's not a professional dancer, T.J., he's just really good at it."

Some light clicked on in Jareth's head, and he looked at me strangely. "You have professional dancers?"

I nodded, "Sure."

He frowned, "So, why could I have not been one of those, rather than a child care professional? It sounds far more entertaining."

There was a great difference between what people thought he was talking about, and what he actually meant. I'm sure T.J. and Orla thought he was complaining about his career, but I knew that he was complaining that I hadn't come up with that for him, before he'd created one, which now seemed far less interesting than a dancer, for himself as apart of his background, for aboveground use.

"Don't be silly, GK," I said, "You know you love what you do. I mean, you really are a _child care professional_, aren't you?"

Orla looked at me, "What did you call him?"

T.J. smirked ever so slightly, "I thought you said his name was Jareth."

I blinked. Holy crap, what had I done?

Jareth was as cool as ever. He casually reached across me and plucked my water glass from in front of me and took a sip from it. "Terrible pet name, dearling," he said, "Why do you insist on using it? Especially among your friends?"

But, his comment, while it did help me think quickly in finding a way to cover my tracks on calling him 'GK' around people, did nothing to distract Orla. She was still waiting for my answer.

"Jareth Kendricks," I said, my mind working furiously, "That's… uh, you know… um…"

Orla rolled her eyes, "His initials would be J.K., Wren, not GK."

I bit my lip, "Well, of course, I know that. I'm not a complete ninny, Orla. It stands for… um… for…" My brain was going completely blank, "um… well, you see… uh…"

Jareth was looking down the tall water glass he'd decided to fully steal from me and smirked at the water and ice within.

He cleared his throat, "It stands for Great Kisser. Because I am one."

My mouth fell open while he smirked at me, deviously, from over the rim of the glass. I knew I was bright red in the face… did he actually say that? In front of a member of my family?

And Orla… oh, save me, she was giving me eyes that indicated I had just become her new juicy piece of gossip. He was dead. Jareth had just signed his death warrant, I SWEAR!

I started sputtering, which didn't help my case any, "Gah! Uhn… y-you liar, it's… n-not that, oh man," my problem was that I couldn't outright deny that he was a great kisser, because… well, then I'd be lying… and he knew I couldn't do it, too. "It's… his, uh, codename at work, you see. He also works as a guard in my building, and on their radios they call him GK, standing for…" my mind snapped over to about the worst thing I could say, "Glitter Kendricks."

Orla snorted, "Glitter Kendricks?"

I nodded, "Oh, yes, Glitter Kendricks, because he likes flare and stuff like that."

She looked at Jareth for a minute, then said to him, "If that was the best nickname your coworkers could think up, I hate to say it but they aren't very bright."

He shrugged, "They are not always the keenest of people, true."

I watched my sister… she was chair dancing again. Something was niggling at the back of my mind, and, though I can never figure out what causes those stupid niggles, I have noticed that not much good comes after them. She still wouldn't be up to something, would she?

She turned to T.J., "Are you sure you won't dance with me?"

Okay, even I felt bad for her when she asked that.

T.J. looked briefly at Jareth, then turned back to my sister. "I'm not a good dancer, Orla, I'm sorry… hey, why don't you ask Jareth for a trip around the floor?"

I raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

T.J. ignored me, "He's an excellent dancer, and I'm sure he wouldn't mind it. I mean," he glanced at Jareth again, "It never hurts to ask."

If only he knew. I gave T.J. my dirtiest look. Orla wasn't up to something, but he was. The most Orla had wanted to do was show off her new piece of arm candy, and he just wasn't as good as Jareth – she'd seriously be hard pressed to find someone who is, in my opinion, and I'm not necessarily talking about looks, either. Jareth had charm and class and was suave in nearly everything he did… well, at least when there wasn't a cockroach involved… but the point was that her goals had been passed, if not achieved.

That left me to deal with T.J.

Crap.

But… Orla wasn't saying anything. She bit her lip, much as I bite mine, from time to time, and… well, she seemed almost embarrassed to have to ask her sister's man for a dance. My sister was nothing if not prideful, and I knew she wasn't about to ask for anything, much less a dance.

Jareth was matching and raising my dirty looks at T.J. He reached under the table and squeezed my hand, reassuringly, and when I met his eyes I found him watching Orla. When he turned to me a moment later, I reluctantly nodded.

"Tee Jay," he began drawing out the letters with obvious distain, "It is never polite to leave a lady without a dance, especially if it be her wish to do so, and it shows nothing but severe contempt if said lady is your company for the evening."

T.J.'s eyes went wide and he seemed to be at a complete loss for words.

Then, without turning his eyes from the guy, Jareth said, "Orla, I would gladly take you for a dance."

Blonde curls bounced around as her head whipped up in sudden surprise. Her eyes were very bright and round and her mouth was open slightly. "You will?"

"Far be it for me to leave you without a dance this evening," He stood and offered Orla his hand, "Care to join me?"

She nearly climbed over the table to get to him and take his hand. I smiled sadly after them as he led her out onto the floor. I had mixed feelings over it. On one hand, I felt bad for Orla and was pleased like you wouldn't believe that my boyfriend was kind enough to ask her for a dance. But, on the other hand, I had issues with watching Orla walk away with my guy. It brought back memories I didn't like to think about.

"Well, I feel like a heel."

I turned and looked at T.J., who was sitting across from me. "What was that?"

He gave me a very guilty look and motioned to Jareth and Orla, "I feel like a complete jerk, now."

A small frown appeared on my lips, "Well, not to rub salt in the wound, or anything, but… why not dance with her? She asked you, rather pathetically, twice."

T.J. shrugged and hung his head down, "I come here for the music, Wren, not really the dancing. I… well, I wasn't lying when I said I don't really dance. I never learned how, and have never been comfortable with it… I didn't mean to be rude."

"Why not say that to her, then?"

He smiled and looked down at his hands, which were holding his glass, tapping at it lightly, "She'd offer to teach me, then, wouldn't she?"

I laughed. Yes, that was Orla's style. "And you say you've only been on one date with her? You're either really good at reading people, or she's too much of an open book."

He shrugged, leaning back in his chair, "Neither, really. I've known Orla for about a year. She was a friend of a girl who was dating my roommate, and they were always coming over to hang out. I still invite her to parties and whatnot and at the last one, she asked me if I'd like to go out with her, sometime. We did, and now I'm here."

"Well, apparently you know her, then." Um, what else was I supposed to say? Besides, my brain was suddenly consumed by the high-pitched giggle that had come from where Orla was dancing with Jareth… I didn't like happy noises like that, coming from my sister, when she was with my man. That was not good…

T.J. leaned his arms on the table, turned his head to the side, and looked at me, "What about you, Wren?"

I so wasn't listening. I was keeping the dance floor in the corner of my eye. It took me a good minute to realize he'd asked me something.

"Huh? Oh," my mind tried to drag out the question he'd asked from the clutter bin it had stuck it in, "Well, uh, being Orla's sister, I've known her since I was born. We squabbled growing up, as all good sisters do, and now that we're grown up, she's still my sister."

T.J. laughed, showing his teeth, and rolled his eyes, "That's not what I meant, you know."

I pulled a face, "Actually, I don't know. You need to be more specific."

He nodded, "Okay… what do you do for a living?"

I shrugged, "I work in the online financial division of the community college. I have an awesome job of processing paperwork all day. It's very thrilling."

He grinned, "Sounds like it."

I sat back in my seat. "Does that answer your questions? Is that what you wanted to know?" I kept shooting glances to the dance floor. T.J.'s questions were bothering and distracting me from keeping an eye on my sister. I just couldn't look away. Orla was enjoying every move they made, I could tell. And, the thing I think that bothered me the most, was that Orla actually was a good dancer. She took a few lessons when we were younger, so she had a much better idea of what you did on a dance floor than I did. So, where Jareth had to guide and direct me, Orla seemed to already know where the dance was going, and… they were more dynamic than he and I were, that was for sure.

T.J.'s eyes moved to where Jareth was spinning Orla around. "What about Jareth? How did you meet him?"

A goofy smile plastered itself on my face as I watched Jareth, "I made a wish, and it came true."

T.J. frowned a little. "How long have you two been together?"

I bit my lip, thinking. That was a good question. I hadn't thought about it, really. It had been… six months? Ah, I'd have to look up the official dates later. "About half a year," I said.

His face blanked, "So, the two of you are pretty serious, aren't you?"

She was living up to her name, that was for sure. Orla, that is. She was, in the arms of the Goblin King (even if she didn't know it), very much the golden princess. Her hair in golden curls that danced around her porcelain featured as they spun, her pearly teeth almost glinting as she smiled up at him, her back arched just so with the perfect posture and her feet in heels that looked so formal on her… heels I couldn't wear if I wanted to… And then Jareth… well, he was dashing as ever. I already mentioned how fabulous he looked, and his hair, how he'd managed to tie it back, looked very rogue-ish and his features were flawless as ever. His strong build and her petite frame… they just looked good together. It was seriously like sketches out of a fairy tale, and the more I thought about it, the more miserable I began to feel.

"Yeah," I said at last, to answer T.J.'s question, "At least… I like to think we are."

Orla's hands were a little too low on Jareth's hips, and, though it was difficult to tell from as far back as we were, (and part of me terribly wanted to believe I was just imagining it) but there were certain times when I could almost see her hands crossing his backside. I was more than tempted to go and just smack her good, right there.

And with that, my concentration was utterly blown. T.J. could have said he was a Martian from outer space, and I wouldn't have listened in the least. I think he'd asked me a few other things, like about my car and my favorite places to go to and my hobbies and stuff, but I just told him, and didn't think much more of it.

The song wasn't quite over, but Jareth's demeanor changed slightly, and I watched as he spun Orla around in a complicated twist of a kind and he walked her back to our table. The song officially ended about the time they each returned to their seats.

"Enjoy your dance?" I asked, gritting my teeth ever so slightly.

Orla nodded slowly, looking sullen. Jareth sipped at the water glass again and gave me his formal face – the one he wears when he's dealing with political figures he'd rather not be dealing with.

"Orla is very talented on the floor," he said, politely, before fixing T.J. with a glare, "Did you two find anything to speak of while we were gone?"

T.J. nodded, "Yep."

My sister was not meeting my eyes. I knew that look. She was upset over something… gosh, I was tired of her moods. I looked at Jareth, feigning shock, "Oh my gosh, Jareth!"

He flew forward in his seat, instantly, almost choking on his water and sputtering slightly, "What is wrong, Wren?"

"I've got an assignment to post to my class tonight, my online class. I completely forgot!"

He nodded – I could tell, by the look in his eye that he knew my ploy – and he extended a hand to me, "Would you like me to escort you home?"

I nodded, "I'd appreciate it."

We quickly said farewell to Orla and T.J., probably quicker than was nice, and exited the Switchblade.

Once we'd gotten outside, Jareth turned to me, "You do not have an assignment, do you?"

I snorted, "I have to post a memo, which is already written and ready to go, by midnight. It's not that important."

"Then," he began, a sly smile tugging at the corners of his lips, "Am I to understand that you were as anxious to leave those two as I was?"

I nodded, vigorously, "Oh yeah. I couldn't stand another minute of my sister ogling you or T.J. interrogating me with pointless questions."

"I concur," he said with a steely gaze. I let him take my arm and we walked down the sidewalk.

I felt things begin to change before I actually started seeing it occur, but the farther we walked, the fainter and more obscure our surroundings became. The brick building we were walking beside paled in color and began to take on a green hue, the cement became smoother, the parking lot vanished entirely… and before I knew it, we were Underground, strolling arm in arm down a stone path in the gardens, on Jareth's castle grounds.

And finally, for the first time all day, I felt like I could relax. "Jareth?"

"Yes, my dearling?"

Heh. I never tire of hearing him call me that. "What happened on the dance floor?"

He smiled at me, "You and I enjoyed each other's company, did we not?"

I smacked his arm, "No, I meant with you and Orla."

"Ah," he said, his back stiffening, "It was… not entirely unpleasant."

I paused, halting our progress through the gardens, and looked up at him, "Care to elaborate?" and when he said nothing, but merely gave me a furtive glance, I added, "Honestly?"

He frowned, "She is a brazen wench who has less control over where she puts her hands than my goblins do."

So, she was stealing _inappropriate caresses. _I snickered, "Well, I did ask for honesty, didn't I?"

He nodded, "That you did."

I was quiet for a long while, enjoying his closeness and the sounds of our shoes on the stones beneath our feet.

And, then, my mind began to collect and sort out the events of the day.

I pulled my arm out of his and smacked him good, across the arm, "_What_ were you _thinking_?"

He drew away from me, rubbing his arm, "I beg your pardon?"

"_Great kisser_?" I put my hands on my hips and glared at him. "You just had to say that in front of Orla, didn't you?"

Jareth paused and eyed me, a very smug smirk on his face, now. I watched as he casually leaned against a stone pillar that stood beside the path, "Go on," he drawled, "Deny it. Attempt to deny it."

"Sooo not the point, GK…" at the mention of his nickname, his smirk widened. "Oh, stop that!"

He stuck out his lips, "Oh, let me have my fun, Wren."

"Stop changing the subject!" I hissed, "You totally embarrassed me!"

His head turned to the side a little, his mouth fell open a bit, "Oh, so you do deny it?"

My eyes rolled on their own accord, "Oh, you know I can't… what are you doing?"

Slowly, his boots clicked on the stones as he approached me. There was something about the look on his face, that danged smug look, that had me apprehensive. It was like he was up to something.

I backed away from him, "What are you doing?"

He raised his nose in the air and smirked down at me, "I do not think you believe that I am."

"Am what?"

"A great kisser."

"Oh, please. I think I'm probably the most qualified person to speak in your favor, at present. Will you CUT THAT OUT?" he just kept advancing, and I was running out of room to back up in. I was being pushed into a hedge.

But, no, he didn't stop. "No, no," he said, "I think you have lost faith in my abilities. I really think you have."

"I have not, fancy pants."

He was right over me, now, smirking down at me and biting his lip slightly. At least he was still in his Aboveground clothes, that were much less intimidating…

But, I blinked. I blinked several times. When the HECK did he change into his ruffled shirt, vest and breeches? I could have sworn he'd been wearing…

Dang him.

With one final wicked grin, he said, "I think I shall be generous, and prove myself to you, once again."

I frowned, "There's really… no… uh… no need…"

One of his gloved hands snaked around my waist, closing the final distance between us, the other was up behind my neck, tilting my head backwards. He leant downward and slowly – slower than I can ever recall, actually – he pressed his lips to mine.

Oh, his mouth was soft and warm… so soft and warm… and then his one hand began to trace small patterns on my lower back. All conscious thought escaped me. And I got dizzy when he began to move his lips gently against mine…

My knees shook and gave out. He caught me, of course, and when I blinked and opened my eyes, he was still smiling at me.

I returned said smile, "One day, Jareth, I am going to wipe that blasted smirk off your face."

The smile faded and he looked disappointed, "I did not prove myself well enough, did I?"

Wrapping my arms around his waist, I giggled, "If I hadn't been a believer, I'd surely be one now… but, honestly, you know you were preaching to the choir the entire time."

He started to say something, but we were interrupted by giggles in the hedges around us. I blushed, and Jareth glared, but after a moment, he shrugged and leant in to kiss me again.

There was movement, though, and lots of squeaks and shuffling. All around us, the goblins were… well, they were in the hedges, so we couldn't see them, but it seemed as if they were scurrying away.

We frowned at each other, both equally clueless as to what would cause such a ruckus, especially if they were enjoying watching their King kiss his Lady (dear me…), but… a small head peeked out of the hedge, wearing an oversized helmet.

In a very businesslike manner, Squyshee saluted us both, "They is no bothering the King and his Lady!" he pronounced, hopping back beyond our sight.

I burst out in laughter and Jareth chuckled lightly.

"I knew he was a good one to keep around," he mused.

"Yeah," I said reaching my finger upward to tilt his chin back to me, "Me too."

I know I've said it before, but I seriously think I'm the luckiest girl, like, ever. But, hey, if I wasn't the luckiest, at that very moment, I was at least the happiest.

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**Man, did it take me long enough to get this chapter written? I apologize. It wasn't easy for me to write, for whatever reason… probably because of so much plot that had to appear. Stupid plot.**

**Special thanks to Danika, who pushed me and kept me on track. You rule, babe.**

**Ah, okay… onto the next chapter… hopefully it will be a tad easier than this last one.**

**Until next, Love ya! Oh… and… uh, -points shamelessly to the review button- yeah. That.**

**Marti**


	33. Happy Valentine's Day

**Disclaimer: If only I could claim everything I've written here as my own. I mean, think how happy I'd be! Well… I'm happy now… and most of this is mine… Wren, all the original characters, and the plot… so, what am I complaining over, again? I forget.**

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**Hey all – sorry, but no responses this time, though I did send them to you all individually. You see, tragedy struck on Valentine's night (gee, now you all know what faboo plans I had then, don't you?), just as I was finishing up and putting the responses in. Here's what happened:**

**Just as I was saving my story, my computer ate it off my floppy. Seriously. I have NO idea what happened, or how, and I searched everywhere to get it back, but it utterly vanished from my systems. I was _devastated_! But, luckily, I had a copy that I had sent to my work email, which saved me from chucking my computer right out the window in anger.**

**But, the copy wasn't finished, so I was unable to post it V-day night, as I had hopped, and had to literally rewrite the entire end.**

**Stupid computer.**

**So, with my late chapter and all, I say this to everyone in general: Thank you so very much for reviewing! Your comments strengthen me as a writer, and I am very grateful for them!**

**And with that, on we go!**

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**Music Recommendations:**

**_Breakaway _by Kelly Clarkson – hmm. I listened to this song while writing a good portion of this chapter – in my head it kinda seems like a _Persephone_-theme.**

**_Love You 'Til Tuesday_ by David Bowie - Aww. Cute, fluffy, lovie stuff.**

**_Cupid_ by Sam Cooke - I HIGHLY recommend this song. It's awesome, an all-time fav.**

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"Wren, would you please explain this?"

Hmm… _Return to Me_, or _Just Like Heaven_? Or the new _Pride and Prejudice_? That was a good one, too…

"Wren?"

"What?" I spun to face Jareth, nearly dropping the DVD's I was juggling and debating over.

He was watching me from a chair in my living room, some store ad resting on his lap, as I riffled through the DVD collection – which was primarily mine, as I purchased most of them, but was technically belonging to my parents, too.

He cleared his throat and asked again, "Would you please explain this?"

"Okay, once again," I replied, "Persephone will be leaving, going to Toronto and then to London on business, and before she goes, she invited me for an old fashioned girls slumber-party, meaning that we'll be staying up late on the twelfth, being a bunch of silly girls, watching girly movies, and being all around morons, like we used to do when we were little."

Jareth rolled his eyes, "There may be many things in the Aboveground that I am not acquainted with, but do give me credit – I know what a _slumber-party_ is."

I shifted the DVD's in my arms, "Then why did you ask?"

He pulled a face, indicating a finger to the ad in his lap, "I was referring to the sudden change in your magazines."

I quirked an eyebrow at him, "Change?" I came over to stand beside the chair he was seated in and glanced down at the ad. "What change? It looks rather average to me."

With a disgusted noise in his throat, he waved his hand over the page, "Take in the lurid color scheme of fuschia and crimson, the blatant displays of ladies undergarments," he picked up the ad and began flipping the pages quickly, "And entire pages devoted to sweets… erm…" he paused eyeing a box of chocolate covered cherries on the page. "Well, perhaps that is not too terrible…"

A snort escaped me before I could catch it, "Weren't you the one who once said that a portly Goblin King wouldn't do? After I cooked for you?"

A somewhat sheepish grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. "You are no fun, Wren."

I snatched the ad from him, "Hey, those were your words, not mine, if you recall. I, personally, am more than willing to cook or bake for you anytime."

With an inward expression, Jareth seemed to actually consider that thought.

I shook my head, laughing a little, and went to trash the ad.

Seeing my directions, Jareth got to his feet, stopping me just before I threw it in the bin. "I was perusing that, thank you," he plucked it from my fingers and returned to his chair.

I followed him, "Don't worry about it," I said, trying to downplay the 'change'. "It's just seasonal, you know."

Reopening the ad, he began eyeing a trampoline, "That I comprehend. But what would the season call for? You never answered my question. What warrants such a change, Wren? Surely you can not think I will believe such a drastic change would come from the weather alone, as the weather has not differed terribly in the last few months, here in the Aboveground."

I gritted my teeth, pondering how much to tell him. Like so many of the other things in my life, Valentine's Day had fallen into the category of things I didn't care do deal with anymore. As a kid, I loved Valentine's Day. It was fun, and the small little cards you got were great – the ones with a sucker attached were even better. But, as I grew, I began to see the cards as just that – cards. Paper. Generic, store bought things with very little meaning.

Gosh, and once you hit Junior High, they just become embarrassing, don't they? For Heaven's sake, you don't want to give some good friend, who's just a friend, a card that says something like "You are so divine, won't you be my Valentine?" because… well, someone, either the intended recipient or someone else, reads too much into it. It's just a card that I got because the picture reminded me of them. But… yeah, I stopped getting stupid cards, long ago. If there was someone I wanted to give something to, I made the Valentine myself, that way, I could make it say what I wanted.

But, then, when I reached High School, it seemed that Valentine's Day had an entirely different meaning. It was now a day to spend with your _special someone_, and… until now, I'd never had one. Then, after the troubles I'd had with guys and whatnot, I'd gotten to the point of even boycotting it, you might say. I didn't celebrate it, if I could help it.

I sighed. He'd find out, anyway, and then only want the details of why I didn't tell him in the first place.

"Valentine's Day," I said, trying not to sound too disinterested.

He pulled a face, just a slight one, eyed the ad, then nodded deeply, "Oh, yes, I am familiar with the holiday. Does it not mark the martyrdom of Valentine?"

I nodded, "Something like that."

Jareth's eyes widened at a page of women's lingerie, "What a strange way you mortals have of celebrating his martyrdom."

My hands flew up to cover my face, which had gone red, "Ah, no… that's not… dear me. Valentine's Day has gotten rather commercial. The true story of Valentine's Day has become terribly skewed, barely recognizable anymore. But…" I shrugged, "Call me dumb, but I kind of enjoy the story, even if it is incorrect."

Jareth tapped a finger on his chin, "Well, regardless of what the story was, why do you now celebrate with such… lewdness?"

I blushed further, "It's associated with love. Red is the color of blood, blood comes from the heart, the heart is associated with love, and pink and all those colors in between are derived from red. Love on Valentine's day can be as simple as two people exchanging small gifts as tokens of how much they care for each other, or…" I fought to keep my face straight, but thankfully he raised a hand and spared me from explaining in further detail.

"I think I understand," he said, simply.

I sighed, "Thanks…" I looked at the DVD's in my arms, "Hey, I think I'll ask you on these. Which do you think would be good for a girl's night?"

He took them from me and looked at each one in turn, finally handing me _Sense and Sensibility_. "This seems appropriate."

"Appropriate?"

He smirked at me, "Two girls, spending an evening swooning over the most ridiculous things, playing the most absurd games, and being all over idiotic? Sense and sensibility are two things they could most definitely use. Ow!" he rubbed his arm, where I smacked him.

"You know _too much_ about slumber parties!"

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"Eeep! Okay! Ah, watch! Watch!"

Persephone and I were glued to the screen as Mr. Darcy appeared out of the morning light and approached Elizabeth Bennett.

"I wish I knew his first name," Perry whispered.

"Shh! This is my favorite part!" I hissed.

We watched on as he once again told her that he loved her… and kept watching until the end, where they sit and discuss what to call each other, and he kisses her one more time.

I sighed and buried my face in my blanket while Perry giggled and got up to take out the DVD. "I love that movie," I muttered.

Persephone giggled, "It's now officially on my favorites list. Seriously, Wren, we need to have more movie nights when I am in town. I never get to see movies anymore, and I miss some great ones!"

For our slumber-party, Persephone had invited Orla and I over to spend the night at her place. I think Orla wanted to avoid me, because she told Perry that she couldn't make it, she had other plans and had to get up too early. I was glad that Perry didn't press the subject further.

So, it was just us, and she had a big bed, so we shared it. She'd brought her television set into her room, and we'd watched movies on it all night. She had a noon flight the next day, the thirteenth, and I had work, so it wasn't like we could really stay up all that late, but we still wanted to do something. I was willing to be tired the next morning at work because I just didn't see Persephone that much anymore, and I really missed her.

"Yep," I said, agreeing with her, "We totally need to have more movie nights."

She looked at me, "Hey, want to watch another?"

I did. I so did… but I also did need sleep. We'd already watched two, if we started a third, it would be past midnight or even one in the morning before I got to sleep. I could be sleepy the next day, but not that sleepy.

"Eh, I'd better not," I said, feeling like sulking.

She nodded, "Yeah, you're probably right. But… we can still talk and stuff, so that's good," she tugged on the comforter I was laying on, on the bed, "Pop up so we can pull the sheets back."

I nodded, getting to my feet so we could prep the bed. Man, I was so envious of Perry's bed. It was just so… nice. She had one of those really tall and comfy ones, with lots of the sham pillows and bed posts and the like. It was seriously one fancy bed – that was one reason why I was so tickled when Orla couldn't make it; it meant that with just us two sisters, we could share her frilly bed.

She was really lucky to have the job that she had, so she could not only earn a lot of money, but also travel and see the world.

"Perry?"

"Yes?"

I grabbed two sham pillows and set them off to the side, "Tell me about all the places you've been."

My sister looked up at me, brushed a strand of dark hair out of her eyes, and gave a faint cough, "That could take a while, Wren. I've been to a lot of places."

I shrugged, "I know… I'll be more specific, I guess. Tell me about… well, Paris. You've been to Paris, many times. What's it like there?"

She shrugged, "Eh, it's okay. I mean… it's Paris, it's beautiful, there are many things to see there, but it's also crowded and they don't exactly like Americans there, either. I actually prefer traveling to Cannes. It's greener and less crowded there, but unfortunately I don't get to go there that much. It's usually Paris, and then on to the offices in London."

I sighed, "You're so lucky to travel like that. You get to see the world!"

She sighed and looked at me, "It's just a job, Wren. It's not really all that it's cracked up to be. Sure, it pays me well, and I do get to see many new and fascinating places but… it's often times a very lonely thing. I travel all the time, and most of that travel time, probably about ninety-five percent of it, is done alone."

We'd finished the bedding, and Perry began to adjust her pillows for the night. I went to grab mine, which I thought I had stuffed in a bag before I'd grabbed up the other two bags I had packed. But… I couldn't find them. "What's wrong with being alone?" I asked her as I looked around for my pillows.

She shrugged as she slipped into bed, "Nothing, per se. Sometimes it's nice, but… Just trust me when I say it's not that great. Well, okay, it is pretty cool sometimes, but… ah, Wren, you're the lucky one."

I stood upright and faced her, completely perplexed, "Me? Are you nuts? Why am I the lucky one?"

She smiled at me, "You have a steady job that is in the same place every day, you never have to worry about passports, you can come home to your own bed every night, and you also have a boyfriend who is to die for. Don't tell me you don't see how wonderful that is."

Well… okay, so she might have had a point with that. I hadn't thought about it like that before – in regards to either of us. It honestly hadn't occurred to me that her life might be lonely with all that travel – I guess my brain just told me that if I did go on a trip, Jareth would surely be there with me all the way, so I wouldn't technically be alone. Heh.

I shrugged, "Well, I still say you have a pretty sweet deal, Persephone."

She paused, briefly, a hand on her comforter. With a very quiet look in her eyes, she said softly, "Not as sweet as you might think. There's a reason why I travel on Valentine's."

Where were my pillows? "Perry? I think I left my pillows at home. Would you mind if I borrowed a two of yours?"

She shrugged from where she was on the bed, "Ah, that's just fine with me. Take a couple of the shams – they're good for that."

"They're also frilly," I snorted, picking up one and eyeing the high ruffles that ran along the edge of the pillow case. "I have a couple of shams at home, but they're not this fluffy."

Perry waggled her eyebrows at me, "Well, not all of us have a handsome stud we can snuggle with, do we?"

My mouth fell open and, for lacking in the right words to say, I threw a pillow at her. She caught it, grinning wildly, and chucked it back at me. I just let it hit me.

And, as it did, something else hit me – a question I had meant to ask Persephone before she left…

She fussed with her side of the sheets as I slipped in beside her. Propping myself up on the sham pillows (which, I must say, were extremely fluffy and thick), I was about to ask her, when she spoke up first.

"Wren?"

I noticed she seemed rather serious. "Yeah?"

She fiddled with the comforter between her fingers and sighed, "I… ah, okay, please don't hate me for asking this, okay?"

I raised an eyebrow at her, "Why would I hate you?"

"Just promise you won't kill me. Please?"

I shrugged, "Fine, I won't kill you. What makes you think I would?"

She looked up at the ceiling, "Lachlan and I talk a lot, you know that. We're twins, we talk. Gathering from what he's told me, and how I know our family is, I just… well, I have the feeling that you probably get asked this rather often. I'm just asking out of curiosity, because I'm your sister, one who doesn't see you very often, and I care… I'm not trying to pry or be condescending."

I nodded, "So ask me, already."

She propped her head up on one arm and faced me, "How physical is your relationship with Jareth?"

I think my eye twitched. Seriously. Was I that untrustworthy? Did I just scream some kind of aura that implied I was loose? Really! Or… was it just Jareth? My mind recalled the time he and I officially talked about physical intimacy. _I am sure you perceive me as a great lover_… did people just make that assumption about him? Hm. It was probable.

But, I suppose she was just playing the part of my concerned sister.

And yet, concerned or no, I couldn't keep from gritting my teeth. "Well, it's not psychological or imaginary, Perry."

She snorted and began to laugh, "I'm serious, Wren!"

I turned on my side and faced her fully, "So am I. I… good grief. I guess I'm the only person who can believe that Jareth's not like that. He and I discussed that, right in the middle of our first official date, actually."

Her expression softened as she leaned back in her pillows, showing genuine interest in the subject, "Really? I'll say I'm impressed with that."

I smiled at her, "It was pretty neat. We got it right out in the open, and it turns out that we feel the same way. The only sleeping between us is, you know, actual sleeping – like when we went swimming and I fell asleep in the sun next to him."

She giggled, but looked rather pleased, "Aw, I'm proud of you, little sis. You've found someone really special. And you burned in the sun, didn't you?"

I turned my nose in the air, "That's besides the point. Hey, Perry?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember, at Christmas, you looked like you wanted to say something, I asked you what, and you told me to ask you before you left?"

She nodded, "Yes, I remember that."

"Well," I coughed, "I'm asking you before you leave. What were you going to say?"

Her face became completely serious, with only a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, "I think you love him."

I sputtered on absolutely nothing and sat straight up in bed, "What!?"

She sat up and put a hand on my arm, her smile gentle, "I'm serious. I watched the two of you that day, you know. I watched the way he held your hand, the way you smiled at him, how comfortable you were with him… you love him, I can tell."

My face was very, very red…

"Well, of course I love him," I said, trying to be calm as I spoke, "Jareth is my best friend, not just who I'm dating. We were friends long before we dated, and I love him as much as I would love any of friend of mine," she didn't seem convinced… so, I continued, "Look Perry – I mean it. Jareth and I were _friends_ before we were anything else, and I do love him… as for being _in love _with him…" my breaths were becoming short and quick, "I… I don't…"

"Don't lie to me, Wren," she cautioned in that I'm-your-sister kind of way.

I sucked in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, using the moment it gave me to gather my thoughts.

"Okay," I said, "Jareth is the first serious relationship I've ever had. Before him, I'd been on, what, one or two dates? If that? He's not had that many either, from what I know. In a sense, we're learning as we go along – so the best thing we can do is go slow. I _like_ having him as my boyfriend; I like him, a lot. I… I don't want to screw things up by digging into a bowl of emotions what we haven't gotten to. That's not a bridge I'm ready to cross, just yet."

My sister shrugged, "That's fine… I'm just telling you what I saw. I've seen you like a lot of guys, Wren, and…" she smiled, "You've never looked at anyone like you do him."

My cheeks went a brighter red, "Well… that's… that's just 'cause none of those other guys ever liked me back… I guess…" I threw a pillow over my head and rolled over, "I'm going to bed now."

She wrapped her arms around me and gave me a quick hug, "Aw, good night, Wren."

* * *

Jareth just smells good. I think I've tried, on several occasions, to pinpoint what it is exactly that he smells like, but I just can't. In the end, I've come to the conclusion that his scent is simply uniquely Jareth, and that I really like it.

I pulled him closer to me, marveling at just how slender he could be, and yet I knew he was also strong enough to lift me into his arms. The ruffles of his shirt were soft and cool on my face, and I sunk deeper into them. I could almost smell him… almost…

"Wren?"

I blinked a little, reluctant to open my eyes. I liked where I was, in Jareth's arms, close to his chest, and didn't want to move.

"Wren… hey, time to get up…"

I squeezed him tighter – dang, he was skinny! Uh… wait… I blinked my eyes, wondering for the first time why the ruffles on his shirt weren't quite centered, as they typically are…

"Jareth?" I said, sitting up and looking around… spotting Persephone… who was looking at me very strangely…

"What did you say?" she asked, her hair mussed and being barely able to contain bubbles of laughter.

"I… uh…" I looked down at what I had been holding… a sham pillow. "Oh, holy crap, tell me I didn't say what I think I said."

Perry busted up laughing, falling face first into in her bedding and cackled mercilessly.

I threw the pillow at her, and moving to get off the bed and get my bag of stuff for the morning. "Stupid sham pillow case!"

After a long moment, in which my sister laughed so hard she was crying, she sat up, wiping away tears from her eyes and said, "I stand by what I told you last night, more than ever! Seriously, Wren! Oh… man… I laughed too hard… I wish I didn't have to catch a flight today…"

I snorted from the bathroom, where I was standing and applying some toothpaste to my toothbrush, "Serves you right, jerk face! Someday, when you find someone, I will find a way to mock you – I swear!"

She leaned in the door way, smiling at me, "I wouldn't have it any other way! Oh, and I've got toast in the kitchen for us, for breakfast. I need to finish off that loaf before I go."

I shook my head, "Dork."

* * *

February the fourteenth came all too soon, in my opinion.

The thirteenth had been rough. I had taken Persephone to the airport on my way to work – it was always hard to see her off. She would most likely be gone until late April or May, and… oh, I missed her. At least, she said, she was expected to settle in the offices her company had in New York, probably in March, so I could at least call her, then.

It was a small consolation prize.

Work that day had been hard. I'm that way, you see. It's hard for me to say goodbye to people, and when I do, I'm somewhat mentally burnt for the rest of the day. So, I'd tried to do my best, but was slow and rather useless anyway.

That evening I spent with Jareth. He had come to see me, sitting in my beanbag chair, and had been very kind when I crawled onto his lap and had a good little cry on his shoulder for a few minutes. He didn't even tell me how silly I was being, which… oh, that was nice. I knew I was being silly, and the last thing I wanted was to hear someone else tell me so. After my tears had dried, I remained in his arms while he read over some scroll he'd brought with him. I was glad he didn't mind.

So, given my low mood the evening before, I'd really not had high hopes for February the fourteenth. Besides, for the last couple of years I had made it be just an average day, just like any other day of the year, so it was a little difficult to think of it any differently.

I surely wasn't expecting anything.

Especially not a bouquet of peach colored roses on my desk, when I came in first thing in the morning.

I stood there, shocked – but also smiling from ear to ear. Peach? There were a lot of meanings, I think… yellow roses were for friendship, orange were for respect, and pink were for, if I was remembering correctly, romance. Did peach even have a meaning? Was it some kind of combination of all three of those? Or… well, was it just a peach thing? You know, as in pamnesia peaches? I wasn't sure.

But the fact that they were flowers, and they were just for me, made me smile, endlessly.

"Lucky girl," Dan muttered close to my ear as he walked past. "I wish some studly guy would bring me flowers."

I perked up, "Who brought them?"

Allie, over at her desk, was watching Dan and I with a smile on her face.

Dan shrugged, "Delivery guy, I suppose. The guard brought him back here to your desk where he left them – I've no idea why the guard didn't just sign for the flowers. But, whatever. He was gorgeous, I'll tell you that."

I looked over at Allie, "You have two cents to put in about it?"

She shook her head, "Nah, I'm just waiting for you to read the card – I want to know, heh, who sent them…"

Going by her smile, it seemed that she and I were thinking the same thing, even though it wasn't really his style – Jareth. I mean, he's the only one I knew of who'd send me flowers, unless my mom had decided to order them just to make me smile (which is mother's code for: no one else sends you flowers, so I don't want you to feel bad, and sent you some).

I took a moment to smell them – they smelled really nice – and then took hold of the card. It read:

Wren- 

_I hope that you have a wonderful Valentine's Day._

_Thinking of you._

I frowned at the card. Okay, so Jareth may be known to do some pretty cheesy things now and then, but… if these were from him, well… maybe he was trying to say something that people would say in the Aboveground? Perhaps. Eh, who cares, they were still pretty flowers.

I sat the card off to the side and smiled. I sat down at my desk and started working, only briefly caressing a couple of the petals – I love to touch flowers, even if it turns them brown. They just feel so soft!

Allie coughed, I turned and looked at her, "What?"

"You're not going to tell me what it says?"

Dan laughed as he headed back to his seat, "Leave her be, Allie – it's probably too steamy for the likes of us."

"Dan!" I all but shrieked, "It is not!"

He gave me a wild grin, "Whatever you say, honey, but now you're all blushing – which really doesn't help your case." And with that, he winked and put on his head phones, whistling _Lady Marmalade_.

Allie was laughing, too… I couldn't blame, her, I'd be laughing… but as it was, I put my head down until my face returned to a normal shade.

* * *

When I came in through the front door at home after work, carrying my roses, my mother spotted me and cooed.

"Oooh, looks like Jareth sent you flowers!"

During the day, I had decided that they were probably from my parents – but, uh, obviously they weren't. I covered my surprise with a bright smile, "Aren't they beautiful?"

My mother approached them, sniffed them, and then she put her hands on her cheeks, "They _are_ pretty… oh, my baby's getting flowers!"

I rolled my eyes, "Yes, Mamma, flowers – just flowers, not engaged or abducted by aliens. You don't have to get teary over it."

She headed into the kitchen with a slight sniff, "Oh yes I do."

I laughed, and decided to change the subject. "Are you and Dad going out tonight?"

Mom poked her head back into the living room, where I was standing, "As a matter of fact, yes, we are. Your dad got some fancy reservations, he says, and then I'm going to beg him to take me out dancing. It's the one night of the year that I can get him to dance, other than our anniversary, and I'm not going to let it go to waste!"

"Good for you, Mamma," I headed towards my room.

"What about you, sweetie?" she called as I walked down the hallway, "Do you and Jareth have any plans?"

"Uh…" think quickly, Wren, "I think he'll come by and see me, but we don't have plans that I know of."

"Aw, that's too bad."

I snorted, "Yeah…" with my arms full of roses, I used my foot to push open my bedroom door…

… and I walked into a candlelit, emerald carpeted room with flowers and various decorations splayed everywhere from the table in the middle of the room, to the balcony doors on the other end.

I stepped backward, pulling the door closed with the toe of my foot. I looked around me – yes, I was still in my house. This was the hallway to my room. I pushed the door open again…

Technically, you could say that it was still my room… just not my room Aboveground. It was my rooms that Jareth had prepared, and kept, for me.

I blinked, unsure of how that had happened, but not all that upset that it had. I walked to the middle of the room and sat my roses down on the table, looking around. The room had clusters of candles in places that I was sure must be holding them via magic, and they lit it in a very beautiful glow. The sun was setting and the last few golden rays, matching the much smaller ones given off by the candles, were visible through the window.

I felt very silly, suddenly, in that I still had my work clothes on and my bags and stuff of the like from the day at work. Not wanting to ruin the atmosphere with my fluorescent pink lunch bag, I dashed into the side room that functioned as a study and dropped my stuff in there.

I emerged, looking at the door that I had just come through – it appeared that I was now in the underground for the evening, as it did not reflect my hallway anymore, but rather the stone hallways of Jareth's castle. Meh. I didn't mind.

But I felt absolutely disgusting from being at work all day. I hurried across the room to the bathroom entrance and washed up. When I reentered the main room, feeling much better, I also made one more dash – to the walk in closet. If this was Jareth's Valentine's Day surprise for me, I didn't want to spend the evening in my work clothes. I was sure there was something in there that would be much nicer.

I walked in – there were candles lit in there, too. On the dressing table, there was a dress already laid out for me. Pale blue, nearly gray… actually, the more I looked at it, it was the color of my eyes… a simple design, not overly elaborate, but there were small moonstones set along the scooped neckline, waist, and wrists.

Five minutes later, I was wearing the dress and the matching soft slippers that had also been provided. Not more than two seconds after I stepped from the closet did the double balcony doors click and swing inward.

In stepped Jareth. Tears welled up in my eyes and I began to cry. He was wearing his blue suit – my favorite. He walked to me slowly, a soft smile on his face with his hands held out to me.

"Did you think," he said softly, "That I would let this day go by without notice?"

I started to wipe at my eyes, but he produced a handkerchief instantly, stepping forward and delicately dabbed at my eyes, himself – which only made me cry more.

"This…" I motioned to everything, "Is… just… wonderful. No one… no one ever went through this much trouble for me…"

One of his gloved hands rested on my cheek, "Perhaps that is because they saw it as _trouble_. For you, Wren, this is a pleasure…" the handkerchief vanished and he cupped my face with both hands, "How I love to see you happy…"

I was going to burst inside, I just knew it. There was no other possibility. This was too perfect, too amazing – and utterly unbelievable.

He released my face and took gentle hold on my hands, leading me outside onto the balcony. I snorted with mild laughter, as I half expected to see two beanbag chairs waiting for us – but no such luck. Rather, there were two low chairs of a design that I wasn't quite familiar with – they were a little lower to the ground, but were cushioned and had a small back to them. Between them was, as there had been on our first date, on his balcony, a very low table. But, no big dinner – which suited me just fine – but there was a tray of my favorite Underground fruits and a smaller tray of what I could only define as what must be Underground sweets. They appeared to be chocolate, anyway.

He led me to the seat and sat me down before sitting beside me.

I couldn't take my eyes off him. Never before had it been more plain, more clear, that I was dating the Goblin King. I mean… he wasn't Jareth Kendricks, a security guard who met me while working in my building. He was His Royal Highness, Master of Magic, Lord of the Labyrinth, Jareth, the Magnificent – a Fae monarch, older than I cared to think about, rich and powerful, and who was courting me. Just me.

… and I don't think that I truly, really truly, understood that, until that very moment.

He smiled at me, reaching over to take my hand. "My dearling," – oh my word, the way he said that melted my insides – "Are you pleased?"

I sniffed and gave his hand a squeeze, "More than I have words to express."

* * *

After we'd eaten, Jareth walked me back inside, where I found that most of the things which usually occupied the middle of the room had been moved to the edges, and a fire had been lit in the fireplace.

"What next?" I asked, genuinely curious.

He smiled and walked me to the center of the room, "I hear dancing is traditional on this night, Aboveground, yes?"

All I could do was nod. If I said anything, I'd start crying again.

Jareth pulled me into his arms – not to waltz, or for some big showy dance, but a slow close one. I turned my head to the side and rested my ear on his chest. Faintly, in the room, if I listened, there was soft music… but it never got loud, which was perfect. Resting against him, I could hear his heart beating – which was something I never tire of. It makes him that much more real.

I don't know how long we stood dancing, nor did I care. I was perfectly content.

"Wren?"

"Yes?" I turned my face up to look at him. At first, I could have sworn he was about to say something, but instead tipped my face up to his, kissing me soflty.

My knees almost gave out on me, I swear.

When he, eventually, pulled back, he slipped his arms around me and held me close to him, resting his chin on the top of my head with a sigh. I rested against him. There was something so very surreal about him resting his head on me; a simple and tender gesture that just showed how much he cared. It always made me feel special.

From my place at his chest, I could feel the vibrations in before he spoke.

"Flowers? They are very lovely, I do say."

I pulled back looked up at him. "You mean my roses?"

He tilted his head to the side, glancing at my peach colored roses across the room, "Yes… that is what I said, is it not?"

I turned and looked between him and the flowers a couple of times, "You mean you didn't send me those?"

Jareth's eyes went wide and he placed a hand on his chest, "You truly think I would do something as _cheeky_ as to send you _peach_ roses?"

"Well…"

"Wren, you wound me!" he said dramatically, "I am appalled!"

I took a step back from him and put one of my hands on my hip. "Oh, really?" I asked, "What is it, exactly, that you find appalling? Sending me roses, or sending me flowers in general?"

He shook his head, "I would not send you those, lovely as they may be."

"You have sent me roses, you know…"

He waved a hand at me, as if to dismiss the comment, "Wren, I am courting you, am I not?"

I blinked, "Yes, you are, but what does that have to do with flowers?"

Jareth gave me a thin smile and began to pace around me, drawing a crystal as he did so. "When I give you a gift, my Wren, I give you part of myself. Such is how things are done, at least in the Underground. When I gave you that ring you wear, it was constructed of my own crystals. For your vacation, I specially created a suite, tailored specifically for you, and things you like, in my own castle. The necklace I gave you was created from shells of my lands, to preserve memories of our time together. Were I to give you flowers, they would not be aboveground flowers."

I was smiling at him, but still pointed a finger at him as he still circled me, "So how do you explain the time you did give me a rose? A sterling one, if you recall."

"Our first 'date'," he recalled, clasping his hands behind his back, "That was an invitation, tailored to Aboveground specifics and traditions – to your expectations and dreams, my dearling. I did not, as you put it, give you flowers. The gift to you that evening was eating in my castle, and also in…" his voice trailed off. I turned and noticed that he suddenly had rather pink cheeks and his eyes closed.

"In what, Jareth?"

When he opened his eyes, he smiled, "I revealed much of myself that evening, if you recall. In our conversations and the like, all we spoke of… I've never spoken so freely of myself before that night."

Yes, I remembered. The Jareth that stood before me was quite different from the one he had been when I had first met him. There were many nights, as friends, that he had spoke to me, but rarely did he speak of more than just daily events. After we'd started seeing each other, sorta, he still had had an air about him – as though he still had to maintain his regal mask. Our first date had changed my image of him, entirely. He wasn't some snooty (if handsome and charming) king, he was also a person with morals and convictions. Plus, we'd talked about how he'd become king, and that was the first night he'd had cookies, too. I grinned at him, reached out to snag his hand with mine.

"That was a very nice evening," I said, with a nod.

"So, you see," he explained, "Were I to give you flowers, as a sole gift, they would not be Aboveground roses," his nose wrinkled a little, "They have their uses, I admit, but truly, one cannot give them for simple reasons of favorite color or their beauty. As you may know, Aboveground roses are laden with meanings, often that the giver, myself at least, would not wish to convey."

I looked away, a little, hoping he wouldn't see the blush that had crossed my face. I had, after all, wondered what message he was trying to send me with peach roses… and in fact, had he sent them to me, he'd most likely not have wanted to send a message at all.

He laughed a little, seeing my face (though I can't tell if he noticed my reaction, or was just laughing at his thoughts), "If I wanted to say something to you, unless I am otherwise unable to do so, I would use words. When I give a gift, I do so with the intention of making the receiver pleased – especially when said receiver is you, Wren. Flowers would be given to you because they are beautiful, or because I feel you would enjoy them, not to give you a riddle to decipher."

"That makes sense," I said, quietly. Then something occurred to me, "Wait – you keep saying _Aboveground_ roses…"

A lopsided grin twisted his lips, "Yes…"

"So, what are you getting at?"

"I am saying, Wren," he said, giving my hand a playful squeeze, "That if I did give you flowers, they would be similar to any other gift I have given you, and would be from the Underground."

My eyes widened, "Underground flowers? Like the ones that grow in your gardens?"

"Some, perhaps, but others from elsewhere in the Underground as well. Ornikiah, for example, are terribly lovely. Myanya adores them, and grows them in her own gardens."

I closed my eyes, imagining them, "What do they look like?"

"Would you like to see?"

I blinked. He extended a hand to me, the crystal in his palm. I watched with fascination as the crystal opened on one end and puddled in the middle – I realized it had become a small vase. It grew a little larger and extended upwards just a bit, and then, from the very bottom of the vase, I watched as swirls of green sprouted and began growing upwards.

Out of the water the stems grew, curling slightly as though they were going to become vines, but never going limp. There were two of them, with lots of little tendrils of green clutching and sprouting from the main stems, where a rose might have thorns or leaves. The tops of the stems, once they were about five inches out of the top of the vase, grew into little buds. They grew to about the size of boiled eggs before I saw little lips of color pursing at the very tips.

I gasped as the two buds burst open, revealing what, at first, looked like pastel roses. As they bloomed before my eyes, I saw that while they were similar to roses, they were most assuredly not. The petals, while having a similar arrangement, you might say, as a rose would, had a different texture to them, and the ends ruffled and crinkled, reminding me vaguely of lily petals, instead. Color wise, as well, they were very different. They actually reminded me of, ha-ha, moonstones. They were white, but on the ends where the petals crinkled, I could distinctly see swirls of color. Very faint, but there all the same.

"These are Ornikiah?" I whispered, reaching out a finger to touch them, desperate to see if they were as smooth and soft as they appeared.

"Yes, they are. And, to redeem the image I am sure you concocted of me sending you those," he inclined his head towards the peach roses while pressing the vase from his hands to mine, "These are for you."

My breath caught strangely in my throat as I looked up into his face. _For you_… how many times had he done things, just for me? And why would he do things for me?

_You matter to him,_ said a quiet voice in the back of my thoughts. _He cares for you._

Tears gathered at the corners of my eyes as I walked over to the table and scooted the roses aside to make room for my flowers. Still with my back to him, I brushed the few tears away before I turned back to him.

"I feel silly," I said.

He blinked and frowned, "Why?"

A sigh escaped my lips before I could stop it, "I did get you something for today… wasn't expecting this much, though… so what I got you seems very… inferior. I feel silly for getting it."

At the mention of me getting something for him, his eyes perked and I could clearly see the curious gleam in them. He took a few slow steps towards me, "Why not let me be the judge of this… _item's_ inferiority?"

I tilted my head to the side, "Um, no, I don't think I will…"

He approached me a little quicker, "But, Wren, I would like to see it…"

I backed away from him, trying not to smile or laugh, "But, I don't think I want you to see it…"

He raised one eyebrow and showed me a very predatory smile, "I want it, Wren, and you mentioned it, so I will have it…" he took one final step towards me…

"Nope!" I squealed, starting to dash away to the other end of the room, "You can't have it!"

Ah, yes, a good chase… one that I had no hope whatsoever of winning. The room was too small, my legs too short, and Jareth was far too nimble. In what seemed like a blink, I was pinned down to the bed – how in the _world_ did he get me there? – and Jareth was mercilessly tickling my sides. He was laughing as much as I was.

"Fine!" I squealed as I twisted and tried to get out of the way of his fingers, which was pointless, really, "FINE! AH, PLEASE LET ME UP!"

Chuckling deeply, Jareth fell back, turning around and putting his back to the bed, and watched me as I got up, still giggling, and hurried into the study to my bag, in which I had his present. Well, if you could call it that.

I emerged carrying a decorative plastic bag, covered in little hearts and swirls, that was tied closed with a bow. I walked up to him and held it outward.

"Happy Valentine's, Jareth," I said, rather lamely.

Absolutely delighted, he sat down on the bed and, after placing the bag on his lap, carefully removed the ribbon and then peeked inside. He inserted one gloved hand and riffled through, lifting up a handful of the contents.

Tiny little hearts spilled over his fingers and across his palms. Some were wrapped in foil, most were not.

He looked at me for an explanation.

I blushed and looked away, "Candy," I said, "Traditional Valentine's candy… or as close to it as I could come. The foil ones are crunchy chocolates, but when you unwrap them, the foil has some cheesy message on it, and the others just…"

"Kiss me…" he muttered examining one small heart, closely. I looked back at him, and he was smirking at me, "Is that a statement, or a request?"

I snorted, "Hey, you are welcome to kiss that little heart as much as you like… but recommend you eat it, it's better that way. The ones with red letters are mints, but I couldn't find too many of those in the stores, not enough to fill the bag so I had to get some…"

He started when he placed the heart in his mouth, and his eyes watered.

"Some are SweetTarts… kinda sour… they're the ones that are smooth and have the phrases etched in them."

I watched him carefully as he chewed the tart candy piece. His eyes twitched and his mouth puckered, but he swallowed and, to my surprise, laughed.

"These are utterly enchanting!" he proclaimed, one of his eyes still twitching a little bit. "Ha! What else do they say… oh, Wren, look!" he held one out to me, "_Cutie_!" I sat beside him as he popped another into his mouth, a mint one this time, and chewed it. "Ah, this one is far less frightful…"

We spent a fun five minutes or so, just playing with candy. I reached in and found one that said _Forever_ which made me laugh, because it reminded me of him… he didn't seem to get the joke. The chocolate ones had better messages inside them, like little rhymes and such, which amused Jareth to no end.

"These are lovely, Wren, thank you for them," he said, earnestly, before laughing again, "I see you are out to create a portly Goblin King…"

I leaned over and kissed his cheek, "I like you regardless of what you weigh, Jareth. And, no, I'm not out to make you chubby. If I was, I would have made you cookies that said those phrases, not little mints."

Jareth, without saying a word, riffled through the bag again, sifting through the small hearts until he found one he was looking for. Turning his head to the side, his eyebrows up as if he were asking a question, he held out a candy to me, face first, so I might see the message.

_Be mine_.

A shiver ran up my spine and I bit my lip while my face went pink. Not quite knowing what to say, and not having a heart in my hand that said _yes_, I deposited the hearts I had back into the bag and reached out to him. Taking his face in both my hands, kissed him fully. Little hearts spilled as Jareth's fingers tangled in my hair, and he kissed me back.

* * *

Later that night, I returned to my room – my actual room. Looking into the rest of the house, I saw that my parents weren't home yet – which was fine by me – and I decided to go to bed. After deciding that we'd had enough candy for the night, Jareth had pulled me up and we'd danced some more. I have absolutely no idea how long we danced around that room, and out on the balcony under the stars, but I was very sleepy.

I had left my fancy new dress in the Underground. I liked it to stay there… I wouldn't have an occasion to wear it Aboveground, and if I did, I knew where I could get it. Plus, it wouldn't be around where any members of my family would see it and ask questions.

I quietly washed up, put on my pajamas, and crawled into bed. But, even though I was physically sleepy, my mind was very awake. I kept remembering the night – perhaps the best Valentine's night I'd ever had.

But… I kept hearing Persephone's words in the back of my mind. _You love him_.

I wouldn't agree or concede to that statement – not even in my own room, or silently to myself. I couldn't. I had meant what I said about there being a bowl of emotions that neither Jareth nor I were ready to deal with…

And yet, as I laid there, just before I fell asleep, I knew that I also couldn't deny it.

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**A/N: Have you all gotten a sugar-high yet, from all the fluff? Once again, I am so sorry for this being late… but I guess I'm not all that sorry, because this ending was much better than the original.**

**So, Happy Valentine's Day!**

**Until next,**

**Much love,**

**Marti**

**P.S. Sham pillow cases are the DEVIL!!! And... not that I would know ANYTHING about it... but should you ever do what Wren did, and wake up to call your ruffly pillow case 'Jareth', you should never tell your online/phone buddy about it, because she will NEVER let you live to forget it. **

**Again, not that I would know ANYTHING about it. Not a danged thing. Really. I swear.**


	34. Goblettes

**Disclaimer: Per usual, my friends, I don't own Labyrinth, Jareth (Dang!), or anything else associated with the Jim Henson Company. Wish I did, but I don't. Everything else? Yeah that's mine, so HANDS OFF!**

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**Notwritten: Aww, thanks so much!**

**Sammi C: I am the fluff queen. I am addicted to fluff, I guess. Meh.**

**SileaLove: You know, that was the answer I was most proud of. I just… worked. THANKS!!!**

**PyroSlytherin: Hee! I'm glad I could make you smile!!!**

**Salsagirl626: Oh! No candy? Sheesh! E-candy for you, then! (Which, if you don't know, is the best - no calories or, well, anything to it).**

**Anij: That is my story, and I am sticking to it… and I'm glad that I'm not a wooden puppet with nose issues, right about now.**

**DanikaLareyna: And I shall respond as you so frequently do, to me: Dork.**

**Renee: Hmm. I'm glad to see you're thinking ahead and being logical on things here… you're right, there are breaking points. All I'll say here is: keep reading. I promise, I won't make it all for naught.**

**Contraltissimo: Yes. I should NEVER tell Danika ANYTHING.**

**Drunken landlord: Aw, thank you! I shall pass along the regards.**

**Senshiofterrah: YAY! Another happy-dancer! Everyone needs a happy dance, don't you agree? Hee.**

**Miharu Kawashi: Oy, I agree with you on the commercialism of it all. It really just sickens me... since when has a frog with fuschia lips been a symbol for love? Blech.**

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**Song Recommendations:**

**_Dance, Dance, Dance_ by Wilson Phillips – remake of the Beach Boys' song, but whatever. I like this version… it's all bouncy.**

**_Lucy Can't Dance _by David Bowie – no idea why I picked this song… I just like it, I guess. It wasn't originally a favorite of mine and… this last week, it became one. Just like that. I've no clue how or why. Such is the power of Bowie, I guess. Heh.**

**_Twistin' the Night Away­_ by Sam Cooke – can you tell I'm on a dance kick, lately? Yeah, not even I get it. I'm dancing all over the danged house… driving everyone crazy… it's great.**

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**Hallo everyone! Here is a brief note from me on this chapter, before we begin.**

**As you very well know, I am obsessed with this story. I'm always brainstorming ideas and jotting notes down in a small notebook I carry with me, almost all the time. Unfortunately, I come up with many ideas, some of them pretty dang good, but… they don't fit into any chapters, really, are too short to make a chapter all on their own, and aren't very expandable.**

**But… they're too good to just waste. I like them enough to jot them down, so… why not share them?**

**So here are some. More to come, eventually. Just a chapter of vignettes and shorts and silly little bits of nonsense and conversations I think of, from time to time.**

**I hope you all enjoy them.**

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_Snow Globe _

Jareth made a grab for my wrist. Not, say, a _mad_ grab for my wrist, but when the Goblin King idly flicks his fingers towards your hand while discussing something completely different, and he suddenly isn't quite listening to what you are saying, you know it's a grab. Sure, it's subtle, but it's a grab.

I gently tucked my hand closer to my side, and continued with my topic.

Jareth listened and agreed with me… then leaned across and began fiddling with my sleeve. I shifted in my seat, turned to face him better, and moved my arm farther from him.

Bad move. His eyes flicked to my other hand.

I shifted and sat on it. Heck, I sat on both.

Even worse move – it was too obvious.

My topic was officially lost, and Jareth quirked an eyebrow at me. "Wren," he started in that, I-know-you're-hiding-something-from-me tone of voice, "Did something happen to your ring?"

"No," I said, perhaps a little too quickly, "It's fine, on my finger and fine."

He pursed his lips, "Ah, well… I am concerned about it… I should check it, to make sure the crystals are still set properly…"

My eyes went large, "You whoppin' liar, you know those crystals are just fine."

He leaned over from his beanbag chair to mine, "You are correct, I do know that, but what I do not know is why you refuse to let me see your hands. Just let me see…"

It was a challenge. I sucked in my lips and held his gaze…

"Fat chance!" I leapt upward, trying to make a dash for the door, but, I tell you, it was a highly futile attempt, especially when I'd been sitting on my hands to begin with. Jareth did a sort of cross-tackle thing, and had me pinned to the carpet in seconds.

And he had my hands. I'd lost.

"_Zeke is going to die_!" I shouted in frustration.

Ezekiel had dropped by, unexpectedly, with Melody and Harmony, earlier that day. The girls had been in an extra naughty sort of mood, and had gone to dig through my closet, coming forth with the bag of fingernail polish bottles that I hadn't used since, what, my junior year of high school? And even then it had been as a joke for an eighties party. I hadn't seriously worn those colors since junior high.

And, the girls being the girls, they wanted me to color their nails for them. Zeke had been the nice daddy and approved a not-quite-so-lurid color that they could wear. I had been the good aunt and colored their nails for them. Then… they made me color mine.

And they picked the colors.

It was _embarrassing. _

And Jareth had spotted it, way sooner than I'd hoped he would… which was, you know, never.

"What is this?" he asked, examining my fingernails.

I groaned, "Fingernail polish. The twins made me do it."

He was utterly fascinated. "How is it that I have not noticed this before now?"

I blinked at him, moving him over to the side so I could sit up. "Uh, how about because I don't wear the stuff? Haven't in years."

He looked up at me, confused, "Why not?"

I frowned and stuck my hand up in his face, "Uh, did you not notice the part where my fingernails are fluorescent _orange_ with glitter on top?"

A faint smile crossed his lips, "Dearling," he said, leaning over my fingers and then lifting them up to shift them in the light, "You should wear it more frequently… do you own other colors as well?"

"Um… yeah… a few…"

He dropped my hand and turned his nose up, "Wren, I am absolutely _wounded_ that you, firstly, did not mention this to me sooner, and, secondly, did not offer to share."

I snorted, "You are joking."

His nose went up higher, "I most certainly am not."

Now, it was my turn to raise an eyebrow, "So… even though you wear gloves all the time, and no one would see it, you'd like me to offer to _paint_ your _fingernails_, what, 'vengeful violet' with… with… 'toffee crunch' glitter on top?"

He gave me the same look he did when he wanted to make cookies.

Around fifteen minutes later, Jareth and I were sitting cross legged on his balcony, surrounded with various sizes and shapes of small glass bottles and one pair of leather gloves.

"I can't believe I'm painting my boyfriend's fingernails…" I muttered, doing the second coat of 'vengeful violet' on his left hand.

Jareth was seemingly pleased with himself, going between looking at the nails on his right hand to picking up the bottles to examine the different colors I had.

As it happened, he wasn't all that fond of 'toffee crunch', which was simply gold glitter. No, instead, he was eyeing a different bottle.

"There," I said, finishing the violet. "You are now one step closer to becoming Ziggy Stardust. Congratulations."

He looked up, "Who?"

"Nevermind."

He held out a pale bottle of white, sparkly glitter, "I like this," he said.

I rolled my eyes, "_Snow globe?_ You… ah, I guess that shouldn't surprise me, should it?"

He grinned, toothily, at me. I sighed.

"You do understand that, you know, no one will see this, right?" I asked as I daubed the color on his nails.

He sniffed, regally, "I shall see it, and that is all that matters."

When I had finished the job, he examined his fingers, gingerly, before looking up, as though he just had an epiphany. "Wren? If you can paint my fingers… can you also paint my toes?"

I smacked my forehead.

* * *

_Proper Grammar_

"Wren, are you done with the spreadsheet yet?"

I gritted my teeth and turned back to my computer, "Almost, Kay. I had to make a trip to the copy machine, and then to the fax… I will send it here in just two seconds, okay?"

"Thank you, Wren!" Kay said, frantically typing an email.

Poor Kay. She'd been sick, and then had come back to a boatload of work, and new responsibilities too. Allie and I, being that we had the ability to help her out, were doing what we could… we were glad to help her, because she was nearly working her self into a fearsome tizzy, but… it was still demanding on us all, and not very easy.

I filled in the last two lines and sent off the email with the info Kay needed.

I quickly hollered over to Allie, to check on how she was doing with her workload. I'd had some payments to make, so she'd taken on more than I had to help Kay, but now that I was done, I could help Allie get her stuff finished.

Allie slowly turned in her chair and looked at me, "What did you say?"

"I said…" I frowned, "Um… what _did_ I say?"

Allie pulled a face, seemingly to stifle a giggle, "I think your exact words were, 'Allie, do you have an excess for which I might be able to assist you with'."

I shook my head, "No, that is not something I would say, Allie."

Her eyes narrowed, "You haven't been using contractions all morning, Wren."

"I…I…" I bit my lip. "Crap. He's rubbing off on me."

* * *

_Relativity and Relations_

Have I ever talked much about Jareth's throne? It's rather comfy, I must say.

Ah, okay, so it's not really quite as comfy as when I sit in it with Jareth. I'm hopeless, I know.

"Do you like your throne?" I asked him, as we sat watching the goblins.

"Hush," he whispered, "Or you shall miss the best part."

Squyshee and several other goblins were doing… something. I did not fully understand it, but the closest thing that I can use as an example to explain it, would be that they were putting on a play for their king. I giggled, because it reminded me of little kids putting on a homemade play for their father. Of course, it wasn't a play – it had some kind of meaning to it, where it was serious enough that Jareth did not dismiss it as mere foolery, but was also low key enough that I was, not only invited, but also permitted to wear whatever I pleased and sit on Jareth's lap.

But… I would never say it to them, especially to Squyshee… it _was_ like a play.

I watched carefully as a pig wearing some kind of robe was lead through the middle of the production – which was, by the way, held just in the middle on the throne room, with only two large potted plants to mark what would be their stage… that is, of course, IF it was a play, and of course, it was not. Hee.

The pig was led through, and all the goblins on stage started squeaking with delight and dancing around. Squyshee was standing off to the side wearing a strange little headdress. I watched and he smiled at me, waving too, just before he stepped forward, in all seriousness, to the middle of the stage. Then, for no real reason that I could see, they all began dancing and singing little songs.

Jareth watched them, kindly. I marveled at him – being so gentle to these creatures that so many others, even myself long ago, thought to be disgusting. He was a rough ruler, I knew that, but no matter how tough he was I always could picture him handing a newly repaired toy back to a small goblin child… he was tough, but he still cared.

He turned to me, and then asked, in hushed tones, "Okay, now, you asked about my throne?"

I nodded, "Do you like it?"

He shifted around in his seat, giving me a squeeze around my middle and pulling me slightly closer to him, "Yes, I do."

I noticed he still kept an eye on the production before us. A chicken had now joined the dance. I watched him smile at them, and suddenly, for a moment, I wondered what kind of crazy antics Jareth himself had done, when he was so small.

I sighed. Jareth noticed.

"Something saddens you?" he asked gently, sparing me a concerned glance before he turned back to watch.

I shrugged and laid my head down on his shoulder, snuggling into his neck as much as I could and still be clearly watching the show, or whatever it was. "No, not really… I was just thinking…"

"About what?"

"About you, and what you must have been like as a child. I know your parents have passed on, and… I was just a little sad for it."

He gave me a curious look, "Why would you be sad for such a reason?"

"Well," I began, "You've met my family, but… it's just a little sad to me that I won't get to meet yours."

He laughed, a little, squeezing me again, "Oh, my sweet dearling, do not be too saddened by the thought. You have, after all, already met those I grew with and consider to be like unto my own siblings, Myanya, Dyer and Tillan. Then of course, there is…" he pulled a face, and I think one eye twitched, just a little, "Ah, never mind that."

I frowned and prodded his shoulder with my hand, "No, you opened that can of worms, now you have to finish the idea you started. What else is there?"

He heaved a sigh, still keeping an eye on the goblins, "Well… I _do_ have a living relative. Distant, of course, but alive and connected by blood, all the same."

I perked up, "Who? Tell me about them! Can I meet him or her?"

He shook his head, "I do not think it is a good idea…"

"No!" I hissed, "Tell me! Can I meet this person?"

He clenched his jaw and pulled a face, "You already have, Wren."

I blinked. Who? Who had I met? The only real times I had met Fae, other than Jareth, was while I was on vacation… the dinner, and then the party… who did I meet?

"I got it," I lightly slapped his arm, "Lady Zanette, right? She totally could be related…"

"Ah, no," he shook his head a little, "It is not the Lady Zanette."

I frowned, "Then who…"

He cut me off, "Maxine."

I blinked again. Who… oh. No way. "Maxine? As in, _Ridiculous_ Maxine?"

He nodded, grimly, "Yes, Ridiculous Maxine. She is a very – and I do stress this – _very_, very distant cousin of mine, related by the thinnest of bloodlines… but related, none the less."

I was having a hard time understanding this, "You mean, the 'blooming ducks' lady?"

He turned from the festivities, which had now progressed to acrobatic hops around in circles, with the chickens, and he gave me a pointed look, "Yes, Wren, else I would not have said so."

Recalling very hard, I did my best to draw the strange woman again in my mind. Frizzy hair, large eyes, and… pointed ears. I distinctly recalled the pointed ears. Now, Jareth had _slightly _pointed ears, but Tillan and Myanya, being half-elven, had stronger points… and at the party, I had been introduced to other elves, who's ears were extremely pointed. Maxine had been one of them… hadn't she?

"Wait, I thought she was an elf…" I trailed off and Jareth looked at me, "She had the really pointed ears…"

Jareth snorted, "Myanya, in a very sweet attempt to honor my family, will invite Maxine to parties often, especially if I am there. Some times she comes, some times she does not, but… being a large elven event, Tillan's celebration, Maxine went out and acquired _fake_ ears, and attached them to her own. She does this, often, but I assure you, Wren, her ears are no more pointed than yours."

I began to snicker and wrapped my arms around his neck, "Aww! Look at you! Your cousin is off her rocker!"

He snorted, "And that is something she takes great pride in. Though, I would not say she is off the rocker, I would say the rocker has been hacked to bits and long since burnt as firewood."

Still laughing and chuckling to myself, I adjusted myself better on his lap and turned my eyes back to the display. A cheerleader-like pyramid, with the robed pig on top, was now in the middle of the dance.

I leaned in very close to Jareth's ear, "By the way… I never got around to asking… what IS this we're watching?"

He laughed heartily at them and smiled some more before he leaned in close to my ear and whispered, "I have no bloody idea."

* * *

_What Wren Wasn't to Know…_

No one can swivel their hips like Jareth can. I am not kidding.

He did some odd sort of salsa move before turning and sashaying across the hall. Several hops to the side, and then back, and then just swaying this way and that before swiveling some more…

Oh, good heavens. How was it possible for his hips to swivel one direction as he spun the other?

Oops. The music echoing in the room picked up tempo, and he began a cha-cha… almost a samba, if I wasn't mistaken. Then, when the heavy rhythms kicked in, it was like a tango… sorta… then back to the samba. Or was that a mambo? I really don't know dances that well.

Oh, well, I don't know dances that well… but I do know some things. I'm no dummy, thank you very much.

"Ahem."

The music came to a halt and Jareth spun to face me, his boots clicking on the stone floor. "Wren! Ah… when did you come? And… how did I, erm, not notice?"

I shoved my hands in my pockets, and rubbed a bit of stone with the toe of my sneaker. "I just came… you probably were having too much fun with your… _happy dance_…" I looked up, a sneaky grin on my face.

His face went blank and he raised his nose in the air, "Dancing is expected in the Underground, Wren…"

"Call me crazy," I said, ignoring him, "But did I hear something recently about a _wager_ with Tillan? One that, oh, I don't know, he seemed so _very_ sure of winning?"

Jareth sniffed, "And what of it?"

"And, oh, didn't Tillan point out, rather blatantly, that he is so _very_ better at remembering names than you are, and that you had no chance of winning the wager?"

His lips went thin, "I do not recall…"

I eyed him, "Allie told me you got her middle name right – admit it!" I jabbed a finger at him, "You were doing a _happy dance_! I CAUGHT you!"

Jareth frowned, swaggering his way towards where I stood, just inside the doorway. When he was close enough, he leaned his face close to mine, and whispered, "Not on your life."

I snickered in his face, "The Goblin King has a happy dance!"

"I do not…" he straightened up and brushed past me, out of the dining hall and heading down towards his throne room, "… I have several… you were just never to see them…"

"AHA!"

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_Differences _

I frowned, looking in the mirror. Several things struck me at once.

First off, why did Jareth really need a full length mirror in his room? Was he really that… primpy?

But that wasn't really what was on my mind. Mainly, I was thinking about myself in relation to Jareth. I was so… so…_ plain. _I mean, sure, I didn't have any qualms about dating the Goblin King, and I wasn't about to start complaining, but… come on, I also wasn't going to lie about it.

"Do you ever think how strange we are together, Jareth?" I asked. He was lounging on a beanbag chair out on the balcony, with both doors opened wide, while reading some scroll in an odd language. I'd run in to use the restroom, and on my way back, I'd stopped and found myself staring at my reflection in his mirror.

"No, not really," he said, absently, from the balcony.

I frowned and looked at him, "Are you listening to me?"

He smirked from his chair, but didn't look up. "No, not really."

I snorted and gave him a look, "Hey, GK, I'm serious. I mean," I turned back to the mirror, "We are, physically, exact opposites. How… how can you and I work?"

His eyes blinked at me, "Are you attempting to find an excuse to end our relationship?"

"No!" I blinked at him, shocked slightly that he'd even suggest that. I did not like to think about that.

He sat his scroll down, got to his feet and came to stand beside me. "Then, why question, as you put it, how we work? Why not simply accept that we do?"

I faced the mirror again, "I don't know. It just kinda made me think here… Look," I motioned for him to face the mirror, standing beside me, "You are tall, thin, and lean. I'm short, round, and chubby. You have this amazing hair that just always looks great, mine is usually somewhat messy. You wear these great clothes with ruffles and all that, I am addicted to jeans and flip-flops. You're eyes could probably glow in the dark, mine are dull gray. And… you're a King, you're the Goblin King! Me? I'm just… me. Just Wren. Don't you think about that, from time to time? About how different we are?"

He looked at me, meeting my eyes in the mirror. He took a step to the side and stood just behind me, stooping just a little so he could wrap an arm around my shoulders and put his head on mine. "No, Wren, I do not. I do not worry about what makes us different, because you make me happy. You. Just you. The things that make you different, make you who you are. Perhaps if you were not so different, I would not be so happy."

I blushed and ran my hands over his arm that was holding my shoulder.

"But," he continued, "If you would like to analyze the situation further, I shall oblige. Now that you mention it, yes, we are very different," he turned me away from the mirror, and to face him, "In most ways, you and I are to each what the other is not. Do you agree?"

I nodded, "Yep."

His face softened and he pulled me to him, enfolding me in his arms, tightly, "Good. Now, notice how easy it is that I can rest my head on yours, and how you can wrap your arms around my waist."

"Okay, I notice." I smiled, more than happy to put my arms around him, and began to nuzzle his shirt with my nose.

"My chin is as fond of your hair, my Wren, as your nose is of my shirt, you know."

I paused and went very red. I guess I did nuzzle his shirt often when he hugged me. I looked up at him, "Okay, GK. What point are you getting at?"

He smiled down at me, "We are very different, dearling, but… perhaps together we are what the other needs? You are all that I am not, just as I am all that you are not. Apparently," he gave me a squeeze, "We fit well together. Does it not stand to reason that we are a match, filling in missing pieces for the other?"

I turned my head and rested against him, "Yes it does. Thank you, I needed to hear that."

With a kiss to the top of my head, he released me and headed back to the balcony. "Now, come back to the book you left here. This, erm, Harty Plooper and the Spiders from Mars?"

I rolled my eyes, "I am not even going to start on how badly you messed that up…"

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**A/N: Hee. I hope you all enjoyed these… heh… _goblettes_. I know I sure did. Man! It felt SO good to do a semi-random chapter, for a break in pace. I love plot, I do, but it really wears on an author, sometimes…**

**As always, read and review, my friends. You totally keep me going.**

**Much love,**

**Marti**


	35. JARETH, I LOVE YOU

**Disclaimer: I own Labyrinth. Go ahead. Sue me.

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**DanikaLareyna: You are so wonderful and beautiful and fabulous. I really don't appreciate you enough. In fact, to show you how much you mean to me, I'm going to go make you a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Without nuts, because chocolate chip cookies with nuts aren't even worth the effort.**

**SileaLove: Yes. The nail polish was really a stroke of genius. I don't know how I come up with such brilliant ideas. Sometimes, I amaze even myself.**

**PyroSlytherin: Your comments are boring. I have nothing to say about them. What? Did you expect me to be all, "Thank you so much for your nice review!" Pfft, like I need _your_ approval.**

**notwritten: Ok, let me clue you in on a little secret. It's called a _thesaurus_. Get one.**

**Nikki: What? Are you trying to horn in on _my_ Goblin King? You stay the heck away from Jareth _and_ his fingernails!**

**MagicalGirl23: Goblettes _is_****a fantastic name, isn't it? Once again, I astound myself with my own brilliance. I can just picture what would happen if Wren and Sarah met. Sarah would be all, "You tryin' to steal my man, hussy?" And then Wren would be all, "Oh no you didn't!" And then there would be a giant catfight and Jareth would probably watch it all through his crystal ball and eat popcorn.**

**Salsagirl626: Hey, yeah. It's like... Stories for the lazy. You get the idea, but don't have to go to _all_ the work of actually _reading_. Amazing.**

**Anij: By 'it all makes sense now', I assume you mean that you finally realized that I'm a complete loon? You wonder how I have so much time to write these loooooong, involved chapters? It's because that's all I do! Sit around the Happy House, weaving baskets with my toes and typing on my laptop with my fingers.**

**Aviarianna O Lorien: Ok, first of all; your name? Too long! Geez, look at all those vowels. Change it to "Moe" or something, ok? Second of all; your day must be really boring. I recommend you take up skydiving with porcupines. Guaranteed excitement.**

**Sammi C.: You wouldn't know anything about 'random', would you? Am I being too subtle? Let me spell it out: You are nuts. Crazier than me, even.**

**Contraltissimo: Geez, long winded, maybe? Do me a favor and take a lesson from ol' notwritten. Short and sweet. One word. Two, tops. All of this, "Blah, blah, blah" just bores me.**

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**Music Recommendations:**

**_The Farm_ by Aerosmith - For some reason, this song just really speaks to me.**

**_All the Madmen_ by David Bowie - For some reason, this song just really speaks to me.**

**_I'm Going Slightly Mad_ by Queen - For some reason, this song just really speaks to me.

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From the very moment I woke up, I knew it was going to be a bad day. I didn't know what made me feel like that, or even how the day would be bad, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I would be better off hiding under my covers and waiting for tomorrow. Unfortunately, I didn't exactly have that option, what with work and everything.

So, reluctantly and blearily, I opened my eyes. I couldn't help but feel as if something was missing. I couldn't really figure out what that might be, so I decided to take inventory. Without moving more than my eyes and my head a little bit, I glanced around the room. Computer desk? Check. Bookshelf? Check. Bed? Mmm... warm and snuggly. My inventory almost stopped there as my body tried very hard to convince my brain to go back to sleep for a bit, but I forced my eyes to stay open. What else? Beanbag chair? Check.

Something about the beanbag chair tickled the back of my mind, though I couldn't figure out why. I sat up and stared at it for a minute. Why would the beanbag chair make me feel empty inside? That didn't make any sense at all. I mean, I hardly ever even sat in it anymore. The only one who used it was...

Suddenly, I realized what was missing. In denial, my eyes darted to my hand... my empty hand. I gasped and twisted my hand around, as if the piece of jewelry were somehow hiding from my sight. But of course it wasn't. It was gone.

My ring was missing.

I felt a shiver run down my spine. No wonder I felt weird. I had only removed that ring once since Jareth gave it to me, that time he had messed with my story. It had been strange enough to have the ring moved to my other hand when I spent my vacation Underground and wore his special protection ring.

Tears stung my eyes and I opened my mouth to call for Jareth, but hesitated. For one thing, it was still really early and I didn't want to wake him up, but mostly... Ok, I admit, I didn't want Jareth to think I would be so careless with his precious gift to me. My hand clenched into a fist on my knee, the familiar hardness of my ring conspicuous in its absence. Biting my lip, I decided. I would only call Jareth as a last resort. I had to find my ring on my own first.

Maybe it had just fallen off. That seemed unlikely, as the ring had always fit perfectly- snug but not tight, but I was grasping at straws. I immediately began to search my bed- maybe with a bit too much fervor.

Moments later, my bedclothes were heaped on my bedroom floor in a complete mess. My bed was in shambles. I had been _very _thorough in my search, which had included the _insides_ of my pillowcases, between the mattresses and under the bed. My ring was nowhere to be found and I was quickly beginning to panic.

I forced myself to sit still on my mattress (which was bare and at an odd angle to the rest of the bed). Closing my eyes, I backtracked.

I knew that I had my ring when I left work because during my ten minute break I had run to the Underground, a thing which had become a frequent habit of late. A little whimper gurgled in the back of my throat at the thought of those sweet stolen moments with my Goblin King. As usual, we hadn't done anything special, just sat by his office window and chatted. He had taken off his gloves to hold my hand. I could almost feel his warm, soft fingers tracing patterns on the back of my hand, circling around the ring...

My eyes popped open. I _had_ to find that thing. What had I done after work?

I dove for my cell phone and had hit the speed-dial almost as soon as I remembered; I had gone to Allie's house for a night of watching silly sci-fi shows and giggling girlishly. The phone rang once before something caught my attention and, half-dazed, I snapped my phone shut. On my bedside table, my alarm clock had drawn my attention. I gaped and leaned closer to it.

That couldn't possibly be right, could it?

The time seemed fine but I had one of those alarm clocks that shows the date too, and it was telling me that it was... _May_?! So, what? I had slept for almost two months? That couldn't be right. My clock must have broken. Or maybe there was some sort of power outage while I slept. Why that would make the stupid thing jump ahead so far made no sense to me, but it had to be something like that.

Just to be certain though... I plopped down in front of my computer and hit the power switch. As my computer whirled to life, my brain whirled in a completely different direction. Could my missing ring and my broken alarm clock be related somehow? My eyes went out of focus as I pictured someone sneaking into my bedroom in the dead of night. The guy in my vision looked like some sort of ninja, wrapped head to toe in black. He tiptoed up to my bed and slid my ring off my finger without me even noticing. Then he turned around to sneak away but bumped into my alarm clock, knocking it to the floor and messing up the time. Frantic about being caught, he quickly fixed the time but didn't notice that the date was wrong. Oh yeah, that would explain it all. And it was perfectly reasonable to assume that a thief would sneak in and _only _steal my ring...

I blinked, snapping back to reality as Windows loaded up and David Bowie's voice said, "You are an undiagnosed, high-functioning schizophrenic." That _almost_ brought a smile to my lips. Then I remembered how much my Bowie sound clips annoyed Jareth and I thought I might cry again. Damming my overactive emotions for the time being, I glanced at my computer clock.

No way.

It was... There was... Impossible!

May 24... _2006?!?_

I sat back in my chair, completely dumbfounded. Try as I might, I could not conceive of why my phantom thief would pause to change the date on my computer before making his getaway. But still, if thinking I had slept for two months was ridiculous, then thinking I had somehow gone back in time was even crazier!

Growling with frustration, I hopped to my feet and opened my bedroom door. This was just getting ridiculous. "Ma!" I hollered into the hallway.

"Wren!" came an answering shriek from the general direction of the kitchen. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

"No, everything's ok!" _I think..._ "What day is it?"

"Wednesday?"

"No, I mean what day of the month?"

There was a pause and I assumed that my mom was probably looking at the kitchen calendar. Finally, she called, "It's the 24th!"

Before I thought, I'd exclaimed, "Of May?!"

"Well of course it's May! Are you sure everything is ok?"

I could just picture her taking off her potholders to come check and see if I had a temperature. All I needed now was my mother deciding that I was sick and confining me to my bed. "No, Ma! I'm fine!" I shouted and quickly retreated into my room, shutting the door behind me.

Flopping onto my messed up bed, I covered my face with my hands. What the heck was going on? I peeked my eyes open and noticed, for the first time, that there _was_ something wrong with my room.

It was the wrong color.

In a sort of numb shock, I sat up and examined the walls. It was the color it had been before I'd painted it- before Jareth and I had painted it. I poked at it a couple of times, but it was completely dry. There was even that big chip in the wall from when I had kicked it that one time, months ago (or was it days ago?). That had been painted over, I could distinctly remember painting over it and the snarky remarks Jareth had made when I explained where it had come from.

That was it. I'd had it. Balling my fists, I hit the wall, taking out another good chunk of it but hardly noticing. As my hand rebounded off the wall, I spun around and called out, "Jareth!"

...nothing happened.

_Ok_ I thought to myself, pacing back and forth across my room, _So he's busy. The goblins are causing trouble or he's taking a bath or... _"Jareth?!" I practically shrieked, throwing my head back and staring up at my cottage-cheese ceiling.

I waited. I made myself slowly count to 100.

Nothing.

Trembling a little, I wrapped my arms around myself. "I wish the goblins would come and take me away, right now," I said.

Nothing.

Ten minutes later, I was sitting on my floor, staring into space. Over and over again, I whispered, "I wish the goblins would come and take me away, I wish the goblins would come and take me away, I wish the goblins-"

David Bowie started singing the refrain from 'Changes'. I practically leapt on my phone. When I saw the number, I almost laughed with glee. "Allie!" I squealed as I put the cell phone to my ear.

"Wren?" I heard Allie say, sounding a little bleary. "Did you call me earlier? I didn't hear the phone... I was asleep."

Normally, I would have apologized for waking my friend up, but now I had more important things to worry about. "Allie!" I exclaimed, again. "You knew! You knew the truth! You remember, don't you? Tell me you remember, Allie!" I was well aware that I was starting to sound hysterical, but I couldn't seem to help myself.

There was a long pause. I nearly started shouting at her again, but finally she spoke. "Are you ok, Wren? Calm down. What do I remember?"

"Jareth!" I shrieked. "The last _year!_ Everything!"

"Of course I remember the last year," Allie said, her voice taking on that careful tone that people use when talking to small children and potentially dangerous lunatics. "But who is Jareth?"

I was breathing really fast. I couldn't seem to stop it. "Jareth!" I nearly whimpered. "My boyfriend. The... the Goblin King." Even as the words came out of my mouth I realized how ridiculous they would sound to someone who didn't know.

I could almost hear Allie smile over the phone and she said in a relieved tone, "Is that all this is about? Geez, Wren, you had me worried there. That sounds like an awesome dream but next time wait until I'm at work to tell me about it, ok? Oh well, I'm going to go take a shower now. See you in an hour."

The phone fell from my fingers. A dream?

xXx

I thought that I should be crying. I thought that I should be doing something. Throwing a tantrum, getting ready for work, I didn't know what- but _something_.

But I wasn't. All I could seem to do was lay curled up on my beanbag and stare at my empty finger. I realized that I was breathing deeply, not because I was hyperventilating or anything, but because I was trying to smell. My beanbag always smelled like Jareth anymore, always. But not now. Now I couldn't even really remember what he smelled like. No wonder I could never really define what he smelled like. He didn't smell like anything!

He had never existed at all.

Of course he never existed. Jareth was nothing but the figment of an affection-starved girl's imagination, fueled by watching _Labyrinth _one too many times and maybe eating Chinese takeout before bed. I'd realized it when I'd spoken to Allie, hadn't I? The very idea that the Goblin King was my boyfriend was completely ridiculous.

I mean, lets start off with the thought that he was even _possible_. A magical king of some sort of alternate universe who ruled over goblins? A man who teleported around in poofs of glitter, used little crystal balls to make magic and regularly wore ruffles? Sure, it sounded good in a movie- a _children's _movie- but I was an adult. I should have been beyond such things.

And even if you take away all the super powers, Jareth was just... too perfect. He was incredibly handsome and basically had whatever he wanted at his fingertips and yet he was a man of morals and manners. He always knew exactly what to say to make me melt like butter. He always supported me, even if it was in his roundabout way, and he even got along with my family! Well... all but Orla, but she didn't count.

I sighed, curling in on myself all the more tightly. It was a very realistic dream. A very long and involved dream. But how could I have been stupid enough to believe it was real?

As if anyone like _that_ could ever love someone like _me._

All of the self-confidence Jareth had managed to build up in me over the last year disappeared like mist. Like a dream, because that's all it was. I was left empty, depressed and feeling like an idiot for thinking, even in a dream, that I could ever be loved.

All of my inadequacies seemed to float to the front of my mind at once. Not pretty enough, not successful enough, not thin enough, not good enough. _Not good enough!_

The numbness in my soul was gone, pierced by a dagger of self-loathing. I looked up and met my own reflection in the mirror on the opposite wall. Plain. Boring. He could have anyone he wanted and I thought he would want me? In the mirror, I saw him staring at me, a look of disgust on his face. I saw all those beautiful Fae and Elven women from Tillian's birthday ball behind him. They were laughing at me. Everyone was laughing at me!

With a pained cry, I flung out my hand as if to ward off the images my mind conjured in the mirror- to fight off the real world. The cell phone, which I had not realized was still clenched in my fist, flew from my fingertips. It smashed into my mirror on the far wall, shattering it. Large shards of glass fell to the white, carpet floor. I stared at them for a moment and, like a dam breaking, I started to cry.

I buried my face in the purple fabric of the beanbag, choking sobs wracking my body. I don't know how long I stayed like that, but it had to be hours. My parents must have thought I'd slipped out without saying goodbye and had left on their own errands. I knew I was late for work, but I couldn't work up the energy to care. Allie would worry, and that made me feel guilty, but the thought of speaking to anyone made me nearly nauseous enough to vomit, so I did not call.

No one would really care, anyway, a small voice in the back of my mind insisted.

My sobs eventually faded to the occasional shuddering gasp and my tears ran dry, but the pain in my soul was relentless. The suffering inside was more than any mere physical wound could possibly inflict. I wanted to just go to sleep and forget it all but... every time I closed my eyes, I saw Jareth's face.

I know it sounds ridiculous, but I felt like he had betrayed me. Like he had teased me with love and then disappeared on purpose. A sort of hurt-induced madness seemed to come over me. Stumbling to my feet, I growled, "Jareth, why did you do this to me?" I glared around the room, as if I seriously expected him to appear before me in a puff of glitter, probably to mock my foolishness. "Jareth! Come and face me!" I howled, staggering forward.

A sharp pain in the sole of my foot brought me to my senses. I glanced down in surprise and found that my foot, still bare after getting out of bed, had been sliced on one of the mirror shards. With shaking hands, I reached down and pulled the large, jagged piece of glass from my foot. Staring my reflection, distorted by streaks of my own blood, it hit me once again.

He had not left me. He had never existed.

I had no one to blame but myself for my own pain.

I don't remember doing it. I didn't even feel it. All I remember is suddenly realizing that there was more blood on the piece of glass in my hand than my foot would account for and looking down to find a long, harsh tear in the skin of my forearm. It was only as I looked at the cut I had inflicted upon myself that I felt the pain. Somehow, the physical pain of the slice seemed to ease the pain in my heart.

I never thought of myself as the type to hurt myself, it always seemed sort of strange and illogical to me, but... With a twisted smile, I transferred the sharp mirror shard to my other hand and made another cut. In a sort of perverted way, I was proud of myself for remembering to cut along my arm, rather than perpendicular. That was the mistake most cutters made, my brain reminded me, fuzzily. Won't lose enough blood that way. Someone will find you.

Chortling to myself, I sunk down to the carpet, admiring the bright, thick flow coming from my opened veins. I was a little surprised at how easy it had been to spill my lifeblood. My body was so fragile. So easily harmed. Inadequate- as always.

The piece of mirror had fallen from my hand and gotten lost amongst the other bits of glass, now equally bloodstained. But I didn't mind. The instrument was not important, what was important was the sense of peace which seemed to seep into my being as my blood seeped out. With a content sigh, I sank back onto the carpet, heedless of the shards which pricked my back and legs.

Somewhere, in the very back of my mind, someone was screaming. A voice was shrieking that this was ridiculous, that things would work out, that I had to get help. But I ignored that voice. _How silly_, I thought to myself, in a bemused sort of way, _That I never told him how I felt about him when, obviously, I can't live without him_.

For some reason, that struck me as very funny, and I giggled.

My eyes got a little blurry and, instead of my ugly, cottage-cheese ceiling, I started seeing Jareth. I watched him dance with me or swim with me or... All of the pleasant memories swept in front of my eyes. I had always thought that line about your life flashing before your eyes was just that, a line, but there it was. I must say, I enjoyed the show immensely.

I began to feel a little guilty for getting angry with Jareth earlier. It wasn't his fault he didn't exist. Or maybe he did? Maybe there really _was_ a Goblin King out there, somewhere. Sure, _my_ Jareth might have been a dream, but maybe there was a real Jareth and he was watching me now, wondering what the heck was wrong with me and why I started randomly yelling at him.

A wave of sadness washed over me that, if he did exist, he would never know how I felt. Well that wouldn't do. The whole reason for cutting myself - for _killing_ myself - was to make the pain go away. I tilted my head a little and noticed a patch of pristine white carpet near me, untouched by the ever expanding pool of blood that surrounded me. Heaving myself onto my side, I realized what I had to do.

It was messy, writing in my own blood, and I couldn't fully form the last letter before my hand stopped working, but I felt like it would do.

I smiled as the darkness surrounded me, wondering if he would ever get the message.

_JARETH, I LOVE YOU.

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	36. DANIKA! What have you DONE!

_**DANIKA!!! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!!**_

**Disclaimer: I own this plot and Wren and the original characters, but I do not own Labyrinth, or the like. I also cannot control Danika, as is evident, by the last chapter.**

**Oh my… I _knew_ I shouldn't have left my password as 'Mrs.MartiBowie'…Danika was bound to hack into my Fan fiction account sometime or other, with that one…**

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**Review response to everyone who reviewed last chapter: _APRIL FOOL'S!!_ Last chapter was not a nightmare, reality, or even an actual chapter. It was, for those who did not catch on, an elaborate prank, pulled off by Danika.**

**Okay, okay, and I _might_ have had _a little_ to do with it… but just a _little_…**

**So, no, Wren has not lost her mind, nor has she killed herself. Please don't hate me. But feel free to hate Danika, and send her lots and lots a nasty PM's. Lots.**

**When I confronted her about it, her response was, "I can't believe you suckers fell for it! Bwahahahaha!!"**

**Yes. Lots of nasty PM's.**

**(Cookies to PyroSlytherin and Anij who were the only two who suspected - in reviews and PM's - that I did not write last chapter! In fact, you get Danika's cookies. She doesn't deserve them, now.)

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Music Recommendations:

I Will Survive by Diana Ross - that's right people. Wren will survive... last chapter was prank!

You Thought Wrong by Kelly Clarkson - Yep, you did. But that's okay. We can be happy now.

The Myth by David Bowie - some relaxing stuff for us all, after that super angsty chapter.

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**A/N: What can I say about this chapter? I feel like I ought to say something, really. Um… the plot continues? The actual one? Oh, I hope the last one didn't scare too many people away…**

**In short, on we go with the actual update!**

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I like small, happy moments. I think they are too few in today's society, really, and if more people understood the value of them, or perhaps if people in the world simply valued them more, there would be a lot less contention out there.

Given the nature of my relationship with Jareth, I suppose we have more of these small moments (true, not all are necessarily 'happy', but honestly, life is what you make it, right?) than most people do. In exchange, I guess, we don't have a lot of big moments, though I have noticed that the small ones often lead us to rearrange our priorities to make room for bigger ones.

But really, consider it. I work full time, and go to school, online. Jareth runs a kingdom. True, the fact that he can magically re-order time does give him a lot of leeway, but he still does have a lot of things to do. Time has a lot of rules, apparently, so it's not always as simple as it seems. Sometimes, if we want to do something together, one of us has to settle with merely being around the other while they work on pressing items.

I learned that, when Jareth had agreed to come with me to a movie. He hadn't been in an actual theater before (with me, at least) and I wanted to take him – he readily agreed to go. I waited for him, but he never came Above… and I started to worry. I went Underground and found him in his study, very angry and frustrated over some treaties regarding trade with another kingdom. It was a simple matter, but would take time, and for whatever reason, he was unable to rearrange time to also come to the movie with me, and was therefore angry.

Just for the record, he's explained some of the rules regarding Time to me, but it's a complicated thing. I don't quite understand all of it… but, from what I gather, he _can_ pretty much re-order it when he needs to, but there are certain times, I'm not sure why, that he can't. It's not very often, but it happens.

And, luck of the draw, it was one of those times. He was not very happy.

I went to him, then, in his study, and sat him down in his chair, gave him a kiss, and let him know it was alright. We could see the movie another time.

He had sighed and said, "It was not the film I was hoping for, Wren," he held my hands tightly, "It was time with you, away from such matters."

I ran my hands over his face and smiled at him, "Well, since you can't be away from 'such matters' at the moment, at least you can settle with me being here. I'll pop home for a little bit, grab a book and maybe my sketch pad, and I'll come here, tonight, while you work." He had rather liked that idea.

On another occasion, I was stressed and pressed with assignments, and so Jareth had wordlessly come and sat beside me as I worked. I wondered how it was that he could not be bored with me, but… it was time together, and I told myself that I sure hadn't minded staying with him while he worked, so perhaps he didn't mind staying with me, either.

So, really, most of our time together was made of small moments. But, I like them.

Of course, I also have to add that since Jareth does get bored easier than most, some of these moments get… interesting.

And it was while I was checking my emails, on a week that was a 'break' in between my online classes, that I was having an interesting moment. What made it so interesting? Well, it started out normally enough. I was clearing out information on my computer from my last class, storing away what I needed to and what not, and also getting ready for my next one. I was at my computer desk, working, and I'd hardly noticed when Jareth appeared, sitting in my beanbag chair (I swear, it's more his than mine, now), spinning crystals intricately.

But, I had a lot to go through. It was taking longer than expected. Jareth was bored. He began staring at me.

I looked at him, "What?"

"What do you mean, what?" he countered, still staring.

I pulled a face, "You're staring at me… it's unnerving to be stared at."

"That would be your opinion, Wren," he said, with a grin, "I do not mind it when you stare at me. I find it flattering."

I glared at him, "Sometime, in the future, I plan on disproving that point with you, but at the moment, I'm busy. Please find some other way to amuse yourself."

He sniffed, "Very well," and he stood, going to my bookshelf. Somehow, though, my bookshelf lost appeal rather quickly and I ended up with him behind me, while I worked, amusing himself with my hair – hence, it was _interesting_.

Lucky for him, this wasn't something I minded – I like my hair being played with. So I let him, and decided not to look in a mirror or something, until I was all done, and could properly devote time to yelling or chasing, should it call for it.

But the moment was short lived. I saw a 'red flagged' email… sent with importance, from a counselor at the college.

"What…?" I muttered, opening the email and reading it. It was notification that I did not attend the first two weeks of …

"Human anatomy?!" I shrieked, standing abruptly and glaring at the email. "Who the HECK scheduled me for THAT?! I'm not in the stupid nursing program! And… and…" I bent over and looked at the email, "They had me at the ground campus. At twelve to three in the afternoon?! THAT'S WHEN I'M WORKING! WHY WOULD THEY SCHEDULE ME THERE?!"

Jareth was standing back and watching me curiously. "Wren?" he asked in a very soothing voice, "What is the matter?"

I was breathing very quickly, now, "They… someone down at the college scheduled me for a physical class, three times a week, during the day, two weeks ago… but I'm not in that program, I don't go to ground, I do online, I didn't sign up for that class and now…" I glanced again at the email, "Now they're demanding that I pay for the class, and they won't let me attend anymore classes until the balance is settled!"

He shrugged, "Is the cost of much relevance?"

I was near hyperventilation, "Considering I work for the corporate financial department of the college, yes, it is, Jareth. I'm adjunct, or whatever you call it – and so I don't have to pay for tuition, only my books and such. There shouldn't be a balance at all!"

He frowned, raising an eyebrow, "And so what is to be done to correct this error?"

I sighed, "I'll have to go get an appointment with one of the counselors, preferably the lady who did this, who made this error and sent me this email… a," I squinted down at the screen, "Mrs. Flemming… urgh. Whatever. I'll see if I can get in to talk to her…" I turned and walked out of the room.

But, I promptly squeaked in seeing my reflection as I passed a mirror in the hallway, and dashed back to my room, shutting the door behind me. "You," I said, pointing a finger at him, "Undo what you did," I pointed to my hair.

He grinned at me, "What?"

"Don't give me that!" I squawked, "I look like Queen Amidala on crack! Take these strange pigtails… and curls… and, dear me, whatever you've done to my hair, out now, please. I only saw a bit of it, and I don't want to see anymore."

He sighed, snapping his fingers, releasing my hair from the magical crimps and twirls he'd placed in it. "I thought it was darling, my dearling,"

I sighed and headed to the door, "Then remind me to do it to _your _hair, sometime. I'll be back in a while…"

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The counselor's offices were still opened when I had gotten there, and I hurried to dash inside. Hopefully I could still catch the Flemming woman before she left for the day.

The secretary, Janice, I knew well enough. She sometimes came over to our building to deliver messages, and, from what I guessed, she was friends with Bill, my coworker, and so she often visited our area.

"Is Mrs. Flemming here?" I asked Janice, quickly.

She looked up from her paperwork, which looked like it was end of the day stuff, and she was getting ready to leave for the night. "Oh, hello Wren. I think she's in her office still… she might be working late… you're welcome to check – but, wait, aren't you online? And adjunct, at that? She's a ground campus counselor… your counselor is-"

"I know," I said, quickly, cutting her off as politely as I could, "There was a mistake on my account, and she was the one who emailed me about it… I can't start my next class until this thing is resolved."

Janice's eyes bugged, just a little, "Oh, dear, yeah," she motioned to the hallway where the counselor offices where, "Go on and find her. Her name tag was stolen as a joke, but it's down the hallway and to your left, third door. If she's there, she'll help you, right away."

"Thanks," I muttered, dashing away and down the hall.

When I reached the door, I sighed in relief – the light was still on. I knocked tentatively on the door with one hand, the other resting anxiously on the handle.

"I told you, Shawn," hollered a voice inside, "I don't want any coffee, I want my stupid name tag back!"

I frowned and tried the handle, peeking inside, "Mrs. Flemming?"

"Oh," a woman wearing a white business suit with gray pinstripes dropped her pen and looked up at me in surprise, quickly reaching to pull down the reading spectacles that were resting on her nose to let them dangle from the chain around her neck, "I'm sorry, I thought you were the Dean. Come in, please."

I snorted and entered her office, "The Dean stole your tag?"

She rolled her eyes, "He's quite the joker, Shawn is…" she trailed off, looking at me intently before standing and offering me her hand with a smile.

Dang, this woman was… sharp. Not necessarily in demeanor, but certainly in appearance. That was the only word to describe her. She was taller than I was, and certainly thinner, probably in mid to late thirties. She had very dark hair, cut in a short sort of modern bob that was longer in the front, to frame her face, and shorter in the back, to curl up easily. I found her hair to be particularly striking because she had a fair complexion and also wore a white business suit with gray pinstripes – stripes that, I noticed after a few moments under her gaze, matched the pale blue of her eyes. But her hair - my goodness, it was a striking contrast.

Her age, though I could only really guess due to her reading glasses. They were thin, square frames, but clearly not for continual use, only for reading, and so they hung about her neck on a silver chain, laying delicately across the breast of her suit. If she needed reading glasses, and not flat out prescriptions or contacts, then my guess was for the later thirties. Her features, though, surely kept me down to thirties, and no higher, for she was very pretty. Her makeup was very professional and she had manicured nails, but despite her makeup, her features were smooth, only showing a few signs of aging, at best. She still had a young look about her.

"Hi, I just got an email from you today… I'm Wren Neilson…"

Her eyes lit up, instantly, and she looked almost surprised that I was there, in her office. "Oh, Miss Neilson," she said, "I am sorry, but I'm heading out, now, and I really don't have…"

"Oh, please," I said, in a rush, "My next online class starts next week, and I need to get this problem resolved!"

I could tell she was torn over something by the look in her eyes as she hesitated for a moment. She sighed, "Very well, let me pull up your account… you're lucky, I still have your IRN handy…"

I hesitantly took a seat in the chair facing her desk. There are many things that make me uncomfortable, and one of them is dealing with a high-class business woman. Somehow, I suppose in an attempt to truly surpass any man in their field, hard-core business women tended to be just far snottier than the business men. Not that Mrs. Flemming was snotty or mean, but… her sharp appearance gave her a complete no-nonsense look about her. That and the fact that she was just plain beautiful – you might go as far as to call her my physical opposite – and, well… I'm accustomed to getting the brush off from people like that.

So, while this lady was dressed for business, she was a counselor. I tried to keep in mind that it was her _job_ to help out, and if she really was business oriented, then she shouldn't be mean to me. And, besides, I never liked to judge someone on their appearance, if I could help it.

She pursed her lips as she looked at my account, "I'm sorry, Wren, but I don't understand what's so confusing to you about your account. You were scheduled for a class, you never attended it, but you still have fees that are due to your account for it. It is your responsibility as a student here to honor your financial obligations…"

My mouth fell open, "Uh, I know that much. I don't think you're understanding the problem here."

He leaned across the desk, looking very concerned, "So what is the problem?"

I exhaled, ready for an argument, if need be, "The problem is that I work here, over in the finance division. And, I don't do ground campuses, I'm in the online program, because I work all day. I _couldn't_ have taken that class… and, it's not even in my program! That's Human Anatomy! That's for the nursing program!"

She started a little, her dark hair sliding over her eyes, "Oh, really? My word. I didn't know that," she turned back to her computer screen, "Well, then my email must have really freaked you out. No wonder you're so upset!"

I smiled, some of my tension easing, "Yes! I don't pay for anything except my books and the minor fees, and…" I sighed, "… I start my next class this next week, and this has got to get resolved. I don't know how that got on my schedule without me being notified about it."

Mrs. Flemming gave me a very sympathetic look, "Oh, I completely understand, this has got to be a nightmare," she looked back at the computer and moved her mouse around for a bit, clicking here and there, "I am just not understanding why someone would have coded you to that class, and then to the delinquent list…"

I fumbled with my hands, "The more important question is can, you fix it?"

She sighed and looked at the clock on the wall, "I'm not sure that I can, today," she sat up straight in her chair and faced me, "In order to fix it, I need to be able to determine why you were coded incorrectly. I have to search through your account and find where the error is, and, unfortunately, that takes some time. I do understand this is causing you trouble, and could be a hassle-"

"Could be?" I asked, cutting her off. "Too late, it already is a hassle! I have to get my downloads and such taken care by this weekend, for the class that I need to take on Monday. What am I going to do?"

She held up a hand, "I do understand, and I am very sorry – look, I've got plans tonight, and I really need to be heading out, I'm going to be late… but," she sighed, "I do want to help you get this corrected. I really do. I swear to you, if my plans weren't important, I would stay, but I can't."

I slumped into my chair and, propping my elbow up on the arm rest, covered my face with my hand. "It's just not fair!" I muttered, angrily.

Peeking between my fingers, I noticed Mrs. Flemming giving me a strange look, indeed.

I sighed and sat up, "Look, Mrs. Flemming," I started, "Help me out here. I need this resolved by Friday, at least, so that I can get into my class on Monday. How can we make this happen?"

Tapping her pen, thoughtfullly, Mrs. Flemming examined a calendar on her desk. "Okay, so you work for the college, so I can't exactly make an appointment with you during the next couple of work days, can I? Hmm. Friday, though… Wren," she looked up at me, "Do you think you could come here, right after work, Friday afternoon?"

I pulled a face, "I really don't like cutting it that close to the wire, but if I have to, then I have to. I'll be here, right after work. Will you be able to resolve it then?"

"Yes, defintely," she said with confidence, "It just takes time to figure out where things went wrong, who made the mistake, and then getting the tech support people to fix you up. By then, I'll have looked everything over, and just basically have you come in to verify that things are, in fact, ready to roll again."

I nodded as I stood, "Okay, then, Friday. I'll be here."

She stood and reached out to offer me her hand again, "Wren," she said, "I am sorry for all this. I promise I'll get it worked out by Friday, okay? Between you and me, I'm on a deadline – I won't leave you hanging here, and I'm going on vacation right after that, so I have to get it fixed by then."

I blanched, "You'll be leaving?" That meant that, on the chance that she was unable to fix things, I was so screwed.

She patted my hand, "Don't worry, Wren, I promise I won't let you down," her eyes glanced at down at my other hand, which was trembling at my side. "Oh, gorgeous!" She reached out and lifted up my hand to examine my ring. "Where did you get this? It's so… so…" her face drooped a little, "Unique."

I grinned, feeling slightly embarrassed for some reason, "Oh, I guess it is."

She met my eyes, "Must be from someone pretty special. If you don't mind me asking, is it an… _engagement_ ring?"

My cheeks went red, I could feel it. "Goodness, no. It was a gift, from a friend."

"Come on, now," she said, turning her head to the side, with a knowing grin, "Just a friend? With a nice blush like that?"

"Well," I hesitated. It was odd talking about my personal life to someone I didn't really know. "At the time, he was just a friend…"

Her eyebrows lifted, "And now?"

I went redder, "He's more. But it's still just a ring, not an engagement ring or anything like that."

She touched the ring briefly before letting go of my hand, "I see. Are you two pretty close?"

I hesitated again. "Close enough, I guess. We're dating, that is."

The fact that I was uncomfortable must have been evident, for she gave me a sad kind of smile, "I'm sorry – I didn't mean to pry. I love to hear about happy relationships, you see. I recently got divorced," I had started to say something politely consoling, but she held a hand up to forestall my comments, "A mistake from the beginning, no need to say much on it. We're both happier and better off now, actually, so it wasn't a bitter thing. Not entirely, at least. But, my point is, I like to see young people happy."

"Oh, well, I am. Thank you," I smiled. For a second, I saw her blink a bit more than usual and her smile seemed a bit fixed, but the moment faded quickly. After all, what point was there to not be happy for me? Or, for me to be happy, or whatever the deal was?

"We'll see you Friday, then," she said, highly chipper, as I left her office. I shook my head with a laugh.

"Man, I seem to draw the nuttiest people out of the woodwork, don't I?" I said, quietly, as I left.

Outside, I just started marching toward my car, trying to take my mind off the problem with my classes. I reasoned that Mrs. Flemming (or, should I say _Ms._ Flemming) was nice and seemed to have genuine concern for me and for getting my account cleared up. Certainly, by Friday, she'd have figured out all the problems, and I'd just have to come in and verify with her that all was well. Really, I probably didn't need to come in at all (though, of course I would, regardless), it was most likely just in case there was _something_ that came up, like a paper I had to sign or something. No biggie at all. Yes, all would be fine, and Monday I would be back in my class, all would be well.

I was sucked so deep into my thoughts that I didn't notice someone calling my name.

"Wren! Hey, Wren!"

Finally, I heard the voice and realized that it was my name… not that 'Wren' is ultra common, but, I just hadn't been listening. I looked up and around, noting a guy jogging up behind me. I frowned at him. He was a broadly built guy, really beefy –

I groaned. It was T.J.

"Wren, hey there," he said, his slightly wavy hair bouncing around his face as he slowed down and stopped. He wasn't even out of breath.

"Hi T.J.," I said, trying my best to sound polite, "What's up?"

He motioned over his shoulder with his thumb, "Ah, I'm here, meeting someone. I just saw you, and thought it was great that you were here, and just had to see how you were doing. Haven't seen you since the night at The Switchblade."

I nodded, "Ah, well, that's how it goes, right? Thanks for saying hello, it's nice to see you…" I continued on my way to my car.

He followed me. "So, how's Orla doing?"

I paused and gave him a look, "Uh, wouldn't you know? Aren't you seeing her?"

"Orla? Oh, no," he waved a hand, unconcernedly, "It was just a few dates. We weren't serious in the least, since she's not my type, really. Oh, sure, she's great to have at a party or at a club, but, not to be rude or anything, she's not very," he hesitated for a second, searching for the right word, "Practical."

I snorted, "Yes, that's Orla, all right. Well, I guess she's doing fine. I don't speak with her much, you know, but I haven't heard any bad news from my Mom or Dad, and I know she keeps in touch with them regularly."

He nodded, "Oh, that's good. I'm glad to hear it."

I hate awkward moments. With T.J., they seem to be the only kind of moments I can have. We stood there, completely silent for at least a minute. He just stared at me, and I just stared at my shoes. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and gave him an awkward but friendly slap on the arm.

"Well," I said, "I guess I'll see you around…"

"Did you have a nice Valentine's Day?" he asked, suddenly.

I blinked, "Um… yeah, I did. It was nice…"

I watched him smile, going a little red, and – oh no. Was he totally getting embarrassed with me? In that, I like you kinda way? He shoved his hands in his pockets and shuffled his shoes around, somewhat nervously. He so was… he was being shy. With me. Someone just shoot me, please.

"So, uh," he stammered, "Did you get the roses?"

I paled, "Peach roses?"

He nodded with a sideways glance. "I hoped they would, you know, give you something to smile about…"

Ack.

"You sent them?" my brain spun quickly, trying to think how to phrase my next words most carefully, "Oh, thank you! I wasn't sure who had sent them, and they were so pretty. They were wonderful to have on my desk at work, all day. I felt very… special."

He smiled at me, "Good. They served their purpose well, then."

Add more awkward silence. Desperate, I did the only thing I could think of to let him know I had to go. I looked at my watch, "Oh, gosh, T.J., I don't mean to be rude, but I need to get going here…"

He nodded, "Yeah, okay… wait."

I looked at him, afraid of what he would say next, "Yes?"

"Wren… I've got a spare ticket to this new band's concert coming up here, and, since you like music, and you did like The Switchblade, I want to know if you'd like to come."

Okay, this was not good. First of all, T.J. wasn't my type. Second of all, I shouldn't be his type. But, most important of all, I had a boyfriend, and he knew that. If I wasn't seeing Jareth, I would consider it, but as it was, no. It wasn't appropriate. At the Switchblade with me, he'd been creepy enough, and that was with my Jareth there, in close proximity. Then, he sent me roses – roses! – for Valentine's Day! And they'd been sent all secret-like… I wasn't about to go to a concert with him, alone.

I sighed, "I can't T.J., I'm sorry."

His face fell, "What? C'mon, Wren, you'll love it! They're this new group called _Siren Song_, and they're really good-"

I cut him off, "It's not that, T.J., and you know it. You're a nice guy, but I have a boyfriend, who I am fairly serious with. Jareth and I aren't just lightly dating."

T.J. bit his lip, "It doesn't have to be a date. You're fun to be around, you're nice, you love music – we could go just as friends, right?"

I shook my head, "It wouldn't be appropriate, I'm sorry. It just doesn't look right for me to go out to an event with a man I barely know, who isn't my boyfriend. I won't, but I am sorry. If I wasn't seeing anyone, I would totally go."

He hung his head down a little and nodded, "Hey, it's cool. Maybe another time and Jareth can come, too… or something…" he gave me a wave and jogged back in the direction he'd come.

I waved, wincing as I did so. Man, it just wasn't my day, was it?

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When I got back home, I half expected Jareth to be there, waiting for me, in my beanbag chair. Unfortunately, he wasn't, which meant he was probably back in the Underground. I sat my bag down, and decided to go visit him, and see what was up. After my day, I just really wanted to be near him.

I popped into the Underground around the corner from his study, and could tell that's where he was. Passing a few goblins who were giggling and poking each other with sticks, I rounded the corner and knocked on his doors before going right in.

He was seated at his desk, unraveling a scroll for something or other, and looked up at me with a smile, "Ah, there you are. Did you resolve your concerns with the Phlegm woman?"

I laughed, coming up behind him and leaning over to rest my head on his shoulder. "Flemming," I corrected, "And not yet. Friday, things should be good to go, she says. So, I have to suck it up and wait until then."

He nodded, then turned and kissed my cheek, "I am glad of it, for your sake, my dearling."

I nuzzled his neck, then looked at the scroll. "So, what's this stuff about? Something come up?"

"As a matter of fact, it did," he motioned to the scroll and frowned, a little, "This will be resolved, easily enough, but it is a trading issue with Milburga."

The name ticked my memory, "Isn't that were Dyer is from? Isn't he a Count there?"

Jareth looked impressed, "Yes, very good, Wren. It merely means that, while I would prefer to simply renegotiate terms, I must take time to be friendly with both Dyer and Myanya and possibly visit, or invite them here…" he trailed off and sighed, "I care for both of them dearly, but they never make it simple. They like to visit."

"Ah, you can be social. I know it." I pulled back and toyed with his hair.

With a sigh, he leaned back and closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of my fingers going through his hair. With a wicked grin that he couldn't see, I began twisting and turning his hair… and braiding it… and having a wonderful time doing so.

Ten minutes later, there was some kind of loud boom coming from the hall out side, followed by an absurd amount of clucking. Jareth jumped to his feet and headed toward the door, swearing under his breath about troublesome goblins. I covered my mouth, snickering like mad.

Out the door he went, and a minute later the doors opened again. Jareth entered, along with the sounds of much goblin laughter, and he stormed over to where I sat, in his chair, laughing merrily.

"What did you do?" he asked, furiously.

"What do you mean?" I laughed, completely unable to keep a straight face.

"You did something," he said, pointing to his hair, "Tell me what, now."

Jareth stood there, trying to look menacing, but failing at it. No one, and certainly not the goblins (as was evident by the laughter I had heard), could take him seriously when he had tiny braids sticking up, all over his head.

I tilted my head to the side, "I did no more than you did to me, while I was on the computer, earlier."

His eyes bugged and he gasped, slightly, running his hand over his hair. I then watched as he frantically pulled at the braids, struggling as though they were attacking him or something. Knowing he'd probably hurt himself, just trying to get them out, I stood and calmed him with a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Whoa, I'll take them out, it's just little braids."

He gave me a pointed look, "I will not forget this, Wren."

I moved him over to the couch and made him sit down. I ran my hands over his face, smiling at him while he pouted. "I know you won't… I'm counting on that." And I leaned down and kissed him.

When I pulled back, his pout was gone, and I began to undo the braids.

"Are you sure you don't like these? They're awfully cute, you know – ah!" his fingers dug into my sides, tickling me into submission, "Okay! Okay! They're coming out! Now stop that before I get you're hair all tangled!"

He stopped and met my eyes, briefly. He smiled. I smiled. Yes, the small moments were definitely good.

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**A/N: Ah, there, that's a much better chapter, don't you think? I hope no one is too traumatized by the last one… I know that I will, most definitely, need much therapy over the next few weeks, to recover.**

**Loooots of nasty PM's.**

**To Danika, that is. Not me.**

**Oh, and review. That'll help me recover even faster.**

**Much love,**

**Marti (the REAL Marti. I swear. Though… signing as 'Martina the Magnificent' IS tempting…)**


	37. Here We Go Again

**Disclaimer: Oh, holy cow, what? I'm updating? I have been away from this too long. I only borrow Jareth and his gang, but, sorry kiddies, you can't touch Wren or her posse because they are mine and I don't let a-nobody go touching… wait, what was my point again? **

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**DanikaLareyna: Pretty? You are so insane. **

**Nikki: Hee! Glad you enjoyed it!**

**Sammi C: So sorry about the scare! Oh, but it begged to happen, with April Fools! And… I admit… it made me snicker.**

**Anij: Okay, dude, those two reviews cracked me up. Oh, you think Ms. Flemming is untrustworthy? I wouldn't say that, exactly… she's just… out to find happiness as much as the next person, really. And you were the ONLY one to even remember the roses! By the end of that chapter, everyone had forgotten, it seemed! Hee. **

**PyroSlytherin: Aw, I'm so glad you liked it, and that you weren't completely fooled by the previous chapter! **

**DrunkenLandlord: Yay! Glad you liked it – and thanks for the DA comments, too!**

**Swampfire Leatherweed: I shall most definitely pass the compliments along – and thank you!**

**Salsagirl626: Hee. Believe it! You have no idea how long that chapter had been in the works… oh, that was fun. Thanks for the review!**

**DarkHero87: You know, that was MY reaction, too! Man, it nearly sent me into fits! But… if it had been any less, it wouldn't have been so fun! Hee.**

**Contraltissimo: Hee. Part of me feels for TJ, too… and suddenly, I'm slightly weirded out by the fact that I'm talking about a character I created, as if he's a real person…**

**Notwritten: Aw, thank you! I'm so glad you liked it! **

**Frelliesoot: Ahahaha! Whoa, careful there! Too much GK&I at once can give you terrible toothaches! All that fluff… Oh, if only I could. Too bad the Henson company won't allow it. I'll just have to write something original, in a similar fashion.**

**Baby.turtle.cute: Toby, huh? Interesting guess. I'm getting quite a few guesses about TJ. Well, whatever he is, you'll just have to wait and see! More is on the way… I swear…**

**Katie: Aw, Squyshee. He's so cute. Thanks for the review!**

**Sailor Phantom of Middle Earth: Yeah, a few words get stuck together… have to go fix those, sometime… And, to keep on top of what's going on (I was aiming, at that time, for a more random sort of fic… my, how things have changed…) pay attention to the titles and the author's notes. It does skip around a bit, in the beginning. I'm all but past that, now.**

**Dragonlilly396: Follow the author's notes, my dear! That cutting chapter was my huge April Fool's prank! It was just a joke, I swear! **

**MagicalGirl23: Dear me, so many guesses… don't thank me yet. Believe it or not, Ms. Flemming has been in the works for a long time – I was planning her character for a long time. I was just waiting for the right time to bring her in! So no fur flying at this time. Heh. Oh, your speculations on TJ amuse me to no end! Mere? Just mere? No, he has all his cylinders, he just… happens to like a pretty girl. Hee. **

**Niftyness19: Don't we all… -sigh-. Updation is coming soon!**

**Wavecutter: Holy flying buffalos! That WOULD be a minefield, wouldn't it? Sarah and Toby??? Dude. I might explode from that. Hmm, Muck, you say? Isn't it Danika's turn? I shall nag her about it. Unfortunately, this will probably get updated before Muck does. And… I'm already on the next chapter, so here's hoping that this will get updated quicker! Thank you for the review – you REALLY made me happy. **

**TheCrazyHat: oh, have I? Hee. Yes, the April Fools chapter was a shocker, wasn't it? I'm so glad you like this story!!! Updation coming soon!**

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**Music Recommendations: **

_**Oh, Pretty Woman**_** by Roy Orbison – whoa, man, all ye beware, I am in a very fluffy mood.**

_**Trouble**_** by Pink – not sure who this applies to more, Wren or Jareth… either way, it totally fueled me in this. **

_**The Prettiest Star**_** by David Bowie – hee. Every time I hear this, I think it would sound great if sung A Cappella, you know? It's just so bouncy and sweet… hee. **

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**A/N: 'Ello everyone! Dear me, how long have I been away from this? On second thought… don't answer that. Anyway, um, fear not, my fan fiction friends! I have not forgotten you! I only came down with a heavy case of funk-induced writer's/artist's block (or something like that), and found myself stuck on pretty much everything I tried to do. So sorry it has taken me this long to update, but said funk was pretty hard to yank out of. It is my solemn plea that you will all pardon my leave of absence, and also pardon any… strange oddities that may be in this. I am wretchedly out of practice.**

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From the very moment I woke up, I just had the sneakiest suspicion that it was going to be an… _interesting_ day. I didn't know what made me feel like that, or even if said 'interesting' would be good or bad. I just couldn't shake that feeling that even if I wanted to, hiding under my covers and waiting for tomorrow wasn't an option. 

So, reluctantly and blearily, I opened my eyes. I couldn't help but feel as if something was missing. I couldn't really figure out what that might be, so I decided to take inventory of my surroundings. Without moving more than my eyes and my head a little bit, I glanced around the room. Computer desk? Check. Bookshelf? Check. Bed? Mmm... warm and snuggly. My inventory almost stopped there as my body tried very hard to convince my brain to call in with a personal day and go back to sleep for a bit, but I forced my eyes to stay open. What else? Beanbag chair? Check.

Something about the beanbag chair tickled the back of my mind, though I couldn't figure out why. I sat up and stared at it for a minute. Why would the beanbag chair make me feel empty inside? That didn't make any sense at all. I mean, I hardly ever even sat in it anymore. The only one who used it was...

Suddenly, I realized what was missing. In denial, my eyes darted to my hand... my empty hand. I gasped and twisted my hand around, as if the piece of jewelry were somehow hiding from my sight. But of course it wasn't. It was gone.

My ring was missing.

I felt a shiver run down my spine. No wonder I felt weird. I only remove that ring when I shower, or when I was seriously angry with Jareth – and that had only happened once, when he had messed with my story. It had been strange enough to have the ring moved to my other hand when I spent my vacation Underground and wore his own ring for protection, instead.

For half a second, I thought to call for Jareth, but when I opened my mouth, I hesitated. For one thing, it was still really early and I didn't want to wake him up, but mostly... Ok, I admit, I didn't want Jareth to think I would be so careless with something he gave me. My hand clenched into a fist on my knee, the familiar hardness of my ring conspicuous in its absence. Biting my lip, I decided I would only call Jareth as a last resort. I had to try my best to find my ring on my own, first.

"Maybe it just fell off," I muttered. I wanted to believe it, I really did, but as the ring had always fit perfectly- snug but not tight – I knew that I was grasping at straws. Still, I began to search my bedding, frantically.

Moments later, my bedclothes were heaped on my bedroom floor in a complete mess. My bed was in shambles. I had been _very _thorough in my search, which had included the _insides_ of my pillowcases, between the mattresses and under the bed. My ring was nowhere to be found and I was quickly beginning to panic.

I plopped down on my mattress (which was bare and at an odd angle to the rest of the bed), feeling rather sick. Closing my eyes, I backtracked.

I knew that I had had my ring at work the previous day because I had specifically looked at it during my ten minute break, wishing that I could steal the time to run to the Underground. I had been doing that a lot, lately, but sadly couldn't because I had to go through some school files on my computer (yes, even my work computer), and clear them out. But, the thought of blowing off the school files had been tempting, and so I distinctly remembered having it. Then, that night, Jareth had come to see me. We'd chatted and had a couple of good laughs in my room, in our old way of sitting on my bed, our backs against the wall. Jareth, though, had left somewhat early, saying he had some preparations to attend to, kissed me goodnight, and left. I'm sure I'd still had it on at that point. So… then what? I'd gone to my closet, to put some clothes away…

My eyes popped open. I _had_ to find that thing. Could I have dropped it in my closet? An odd place, sure, but this is me we're talking about. My life is anything but normal, and I can say, most confidently, that stranger things could, and most definitely have, happened. It was worth a look.

I bounded off my mattress and raced to the closet doors. With a loud clunk, I threw them open…

… and came almost face to face with a snoozing Squyshee.

I didn't think. For a brief moment there, I had been terrified that I was going to do a sort of _Thirteen Going on Thirty_ thing, finding out that it had all been a dream… like, at any minute, I would realize that all the happy times with Jareth in the Underground had all been a sick joke from my own brain, or something. Especially with my ring gone, and there being no obviously visible evidence of Jareth having been in my room (because there can't be – if there was, my parents would go nuts). But, in seeing the small goblin, physical proof that no, it was all real and I had not gone insane, I squeaked and gathered him up in a tight hug, "_Squyshee_!" I almost cried, being so utterly happy to see him.

He'd been curled up in the hood of my coat which was hanging up fairly near the front, with his feet propped up on the other hangers and such, and his head had been leaning back on the coat's collar.

Poor thing. I think I gave him a good scare.

He made a startled noise and wiggled almost frantically in my arms. I wasn't about to let go, though, and after a second, he made a happy sort of noise and hugged me back.

"Mornings, Lady," he said, happily, "Scared the patoodles out of me, you did, but hugs makes everything better!"

I released him and sat him in the hood again, wiping the tears from my eyes, "Sorry to have scared you, Squyshee."

The small goblin grinned, "Is okay, Lady! Hugs is okay with me, and they's make it all better!"

I breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good to hear," it suddenly occurred to me that maybe Squyshee might be able to help me find my ring. "Squyshee! Hey! I'm glad you're here, in more ways than one…," I cleared my throat, "Maybe you could help me…"

He shook his little head back and forth, his ears flapping as he did so. "Nopes, sorry Lady. Can't go a-helpin' today."

My face fell, "What? But… I mean… I know you're probably pretty busy and all, but this is important," I paused, "Wait a minute. Why are you here, anyway?"

He sucked on a finger for a second before answering me. "I was waitin' for the King's Lady to wake up. King tolds me I had to get here really early, and," his head drooped, "I got sleepy, and your coat was very, very, nice and I went to sleepy. Prolly gonna get kicked for forgetting why's I was commin'."

I swallowed. He was here by Jareth's orders? Uh-oh. Still… "I won't let you get kicked," I said, firmly, meaning every word of it. "If the King even thinks about kicking you, he'll be getting more than an earful from me about it."

Squyshee brought his small hands up to his face and giggled into his fingers, "We likes the King's Lady," he said, shyly, "She's always very nice."

I blushed, but remembered why I had been nervous. "Squyshee, why did Jareth send you?"

He straightened up with the feeling of importance and cleared his throat, probably louder than was needed, "The King ask-ed me to comes and fomerdily tells his Lady to come Underground today!" he finished with his hands in the air.

I raised one eyebrow, considering. Jareth was, uh, _formally_ inviting me to the Underground? Well, I did have plenty of vacation, and I knew we hadn't been too busy at work lately, so Allie could cover for me. But, of course, I had to wonder – what was he up to? And then there was still the matter of my ring…

I blanched – my ring! Ack! I couldn't _get_ to the Underground without it!

I shuffled my feet a little and looked at the small goblin. With a heavy sigh, and my head drooping, I confessed my failure. "I'd like to, Sqyushee, but you see…" I swallowed and motioned to the mess around my room, "I can't because I… I…" deep breaths, "I lost my ring," there was a choke and I sniffed involuntarily, "I looked all over, but I can't find it at all…" hot tears began falling down my cheeks.

Squyshee's eyes got large and round with worry and concern. Wobbling a little, he leaned forward, placing one hand on my shoulder for support and gently swiped away the tears on my face with the fingers of the other. "Lady," he said in a quiet voice, "Is okay – the King knows."

I let out a squawk and quickly covered my mouth with one hand, "No! He knows? How does he know? Oh – oh – oh dear,"

Poor goblin – he looked rather confused. "Don't worry, Lady. The King a-sent me to bring you back!"

"You can bring me? I thought… I thought only Jareth could." I said, still confused and panicky.

"Nopes," he said, "All goblins can brings peoples, iffa the King a-lets 'em," he put on a tough face, reminding me of a small child being mockly-stern with a parent or guardian, "Now, King's Lady, are yous ready?"

I stepped back, feeling even sicker. "Give me a few minutes, Squyshee… I'll be right back."

Twenty minutes later, I had called Lisa to tell her I wouldn't be in to work, called Allie to see if she definitely could cover for me, and had gotten myself washed and dressed for the day. I returned to the closet, to finding Squyshee playing a sort of cat's cradle with an old shoelace tangled over his fingers.

"All readies?" he asked brightly, seeing me.

I nodded, "As ready as I'm going to be." Jareth was going to _kill_ me. I looked over at my book shelf, one last time, hoping that somehow my ring would be sitting there in a place that was so obvious that I could have a good laugh at myself for not spotting it sooner. No such luck.

Tucking his shoelace away into a pocket of his pants, Squyshee reached out his hands to me. A smile touched my lips as he did this, just as I considered how small his hands were, and how child-like he was. I loved kids – perhaps that was why he and I got along so well. When I reached back, he surprised me a little. Rather than hopping down or just taking my hands or something, he dropped and swung himself up, scrabbling around so that he was sitting on my shoulders, one leg on each side.

I laughed a little, unable to help myself, and made a mental note that, should I ever need to carry him around in the future, this was the best way to do so. He wasn't very heavy at all – lighter than Leyla, in fact.

He leaned around to smile at me, "Readies?" he asked, almost giddy.

"Let's go," I said.

"Okay! Lady, holds onto my shoesies," I obligingly lifted my hands to hold his feet – a natural thing for me to do with a kid on my shoulders, anyway, "And I gets to cover your eyes," his small hands clamped firmly over my eyes, blocking out even the smallest pricks of light, "And away we go!"

I gasped and staggered a little bit as a very strange sensation swept over me. Imagine being completely blindfolded and having the carpet beneath your feet suddenly pulled out from underneath you, and all that while trying to balance a kid on your shoulders. There was wind, at first harsh and slightly stinging, but then it lessened to a breeze. I had staggered forward, half expecting myself to fall into my closet and become tangled in my coats and sweaters, but the fall never came – a very strange feeling, especially when you know with certainty that you had probably gone forward five feet or so, at the very least.

Squyshee giggled above my head and released my eyes. I blinked, more than startled by my surroundings. I had expected to find myself in Jareth's throne room, with Jareth not too far away, a glare on his face, ready to reprimand me about misplacing my ring. I had surely not been expecting to find myself on the dusty hill top outside the Labyrinth walls, where all the runners begin their journeys to win back what they had wished away – where I, too, had once found myself after being knocked unconscious by a frustrated and then-somewhat-depressed Goblin King.

"We is here!" Squyshee declared, slipping down my arm and dropping to the ground with a little bounce. He looked up at me, "Very good, Lady! You didn't even fall on your tushy!"

I snickered, briefly, but continued to look around me with confusion. "Thanks, Squyshee… but, why are we here?"

He didn't seem to be listening to me. "I gots to go," he was saying, "Before I get kicked! I hafta keeps Spoonikity from lickin' off the sweet pink fluffies!"

I blinked, completely unsure of what in the world he was talking about. "Squyshee…"

He waved at me, "See yous later, Lady!"

"Squyshee, wait!" But, too late. With a small pop, he was gone from sight.

I sighed and looked around me. I was nearly overwhelmed with a sort of nightmarish fear – this was really like a strange dream. I had lost my ring, had been taken here, and left here, by a small goblin who had just told me something about pink fluffies – whatever the heck those were. I was all alone, except for the breeze which lightly tangled in my hair, dragging it casually across my face and neck to blow off to the side.

I've always liked wind – no clue why, exactly. Even though I was all alone and completely bewildered, I took the moment to enjoy the breeze. My eyes drifted shut as it swirled about neck and ears, caressing me gently before teasing my hair away in ripples and swirls. It was the caress that had me most transfixed; the softness of it becoming almost tangible, like fingers tracing small patterns around my neck and behind my ears, and then settling to rest on my shoulders…

He had somehow managed to sneak up on me, for the first time in a very long time. I heaved a sigh of relief as I felt his hands rest on my shoulders, his presence familiar and unmistakable. I turned around, all but flinging myself into his open arms.

"Ouch," I drew back, sharply, stunned by hard armor instead of a soft vest and ruffled shirt. I blinked – oh, yes, this day was turning out to be most interesting indeed. Jareth stood there, completely decked out in his full King regalia. Black detailed armor, high collared cape, thick leather gloves, and his pendant displayed proudly on his chest.

"Hello, my dearling," he said, a warm smile touching his lips – something I was so glad to see… had he not smiled at me, I would have toyed with that insanity idea, again.

"GK," I said, still taking in his appearance before I met his gaze, "What's going on?"

He reached out and took my hands, slowly turning me to look at his Labyrinth. Once my back was again at his chest, he lowered his head to rest against mine, his mouth not too far from my ear, where I could hear him clearly. "My Wren, do you recall the first time you stood here?"

I snorted, squeezing his hands, "You mean, after you popped me in the head with a crystal to bring me here? Yes, I remember."

He chuckled faintly, "Yes, we had quite a bumpy start, did we not?"

I leaned back against him as he settled his hands, still holding mine, around my waist. "That would be quite the understatement, GK."

He paused, and I felt him straighten up. "You, Wren, like many before you, made a hasty wish that day. Such haste, though, was not without cause or purpose, and you were brought here, to my Labyrinth to face the challenges you needed to overcome the most desperately."

I stepped forward and faced him as he spoke to me. What was he getting at? I wanted to ask, but I could tell that he was getting on to one of his special sort of speeches, and decided to just hold my tongue and listen to what he was saying.

"You bravely faced the challenge," he continued, his face ceremoniously serious, "To obtain what you desired most. Of course, it fell to my charge, as it always does, to ensure that you were able to accomplish what you needed and not merely get what you wanted. Yet, unlike any former runner of the Labyrinth, I found that you needed something unique, something that I was entirely unaccustomed to supplying," he paused, a smile touching his lips, "Companionship. Friendship."

I grinned.

"That day, Wren," he went on, "You faced a great deal, and while you did not finish the test of your own accord to earn your wish, you did achieve what you needed to, and won something of great value."

I tilted my head to the side, blushing, "Your friendship,"

He smirked and raised an eyebrow, "True, but that is not the prize I am referring to."

My smile slowly dropped from my face and I involuntarily shoved my hands in my jean pockets. "You mean… my ring, right?"

He grinned, "That I do."

There was a terribly awkward pause that spanned out between us before I noticed he was still grinning at me. I frowned, "What are you up to, Jareth? What… what do you know about my ring?"

"Honestly," he said, a haughty mask covering his face, "I thought you would have called for my help the moment you noticed your finger was bare."

I kinda gasped and I think I paled a bit, too. Did he mean…? He couldn't have known about it, unless… "Jareth," I started, feeling a rather sinking feeling in my stomach, "You don't… you don't have my ring, do you?"

Much like Squyshee, he didn't seem to be listening to me, even though he was looking right at me. He just went on speaking. "I was almost insulted, Wren. Here, I created that ring, and could therefore find it in a second, and you still were determined to find it on your own before calling for my assistance."

My mouth fell open. "Answer me, GK, did you…" a lump formed in my throat, as I recalled the last time he had taken it from me. True, it had only been for a moment, to make a modification to it, to let him know when I used it to come Underground, but at the time, I had been terrified that he'd be taking it from me permanently. A similar feeling was now settling in my stomach. He had sent a goblin to bring me here rather than doing it himself, I had been brought to the outsides of the Labyrinth rather than straight to his castle or city, and now it seemed that he might have taken my ring back from me. My head was starting to hurt. "…did you take it?"

He cocked his head to the side and gave me a knowing look, "Now, why would I do that?" With elegant ease, he stepped forward and raised my chin with one finger, so he could look into my eyes, "You need not worry so, Wren."

"Where is it?" I all but sobbed.

He stepped back, "You know very well where it is."

Huh? That… I knew that… My eyes widened, a slight dawning of understanding spreading through my mind. Oh, yes, he was most definitely up to something, and I was slowly beginning to comprehend what. "You have it at your castle, don't you?"

He swished his cape a little, motioning to the Labyrinth and the Castle, far in the distance. "Wren," he started, his voice sounding very royal and grand, "You have thirteen hours to complete the Labyrinth, or dire consequences will befall you."

"What!" I looked around, unsure if this was real or some sort of a joke, "You can't be serious!"

"Oh, I assure you, I am," he said, "Thirteen hours Wren, to make it to your ring, where it waits, at the center. Remember, it is farther than you think, time is short, and…" he smirked at me as he began fading from view, "I am highly inclined to distract you, along the way."

"Jareth!" I screeched, lunging forward, but he was already gone. I stood there, dumbfounded. Why was he doing this? It made no sense! Why take my ring back and make me re-run the Labyrinth to get it back – and threaten me with dire consequences should I fail?

With a sigh, I turned and began making my way down the hill towards the Labyrinth. He was right, time _is_ short. My stubborn nature may have been screaming at me to flatly refuse to run, but that wouldn't get me anywhere. I could analyze the situation, and mope, along the way.

By the time I had come to the gate, I had come to a strange and stubbornly odd conclusion. Jareth was Fae, meaning he loved games and a good intrigue. This was a game, and I knew it. Unfortunately, I was still stumped as to why he was deciding to play this game with me now, at this particular time, and it was utterly infuriating. Even worse was that I knew my answers would be waiting for me at the end of the game, and so if I really wanted to know what was going on, I had to play. I would have to trust Jareth, that there was a reason behind this, and that he wouldn't let me get hurt along the way.

"Hello again," I said, dully, to the gate as I took a moment to be grumpy over the situation before setting out to get to the center. I couldn't help it – I hate being left in the dark about things – at least the last time I ran, I knew why I was running. This time, I felt… blindfolded. "Remember me? You only let me squeeze through you, the last time I was here. Nearly got myself smushed…"

I approached the gate and raised a hand to it, expecting to have to push on it or pull or something, but the moment my skin grazed the cool surface, the doors swung open. I had to jump back to keep them from hitting me as they did so.

"Uh, thank you," I said, feeling a little awkward as I passed through the gate. The first corridor was the deceiving one, just as I remembered. It seemed to go on forever in each direction, but of course did not. I also had to remind myself that I really hadn't made a wish, so this wasn't my vision the Labyrinth. Jareth had told me, and I had even seen first hand, how the Goblin Kingdom changed to match the wishes of the runners who came to be tested by it. This adventure wasn't going to be as it had been before, mostly because in my time with Jareth and in his Kingdom, I had seen the Labyrinth and city as it truly was – and that was now how I envisioned it. This was truly Jareth's Labyrinth.

Something in that thought stuck an odd chord in me, something strange and deep and low, ringing with a hint of honor and pride. _Jareth's Labyrinth_. I was being led through his world, as he saw fit. A small smile touched my lips, and I went on.

"First things first," I said, aloud, mostly to myself, "Which direction to take? Huh?" My eyes spied a bit of color. Considering that everything else around me was a brown coated in only faint sparkles, it was rather hard to miss. I approached it with curiosity. Tucked into the wall in front of me, in a crack that couldn't be larger than the diameter of dime, if that, and at my eye level, was what I could certainly identify as a bright blue ribbon, nearly sky blue.

_The color of Jareth's eyes_.

There wasn't more than an inch of it, but it was sticking out of the small crack in the bricks fluttering in the wind, as if someone had just randomly shoved it in there.

But there was something more about it, something that I couldn't quite put my finger on. I'll just have to settle and say that it looked incredibly soft to the touch, because it did, but trust me when I say there was just something _more_. I bit my lip gently and raised one eyebrow. The more I looked at it, the more I wanted to touch it, and the more I thought about touching it, the more it seemed to flutter in the faint breeze, as if to beg me to do so.

I heaved a sigh, "Well, Jareth, all I can say is that if this thing leads me into an Oubliette, you're dead meat." And with that, I grasped it firmly between my thumb and forefinger, and yanked.

Ever pulled one of those party crackers, like, say, at New Years? Poppers? Um, yes, this was much like that. There was a sort of explosion, and I found myself in a twinkling shower of glitter and sparkles. I blinked, brushing my fingers over my eyes to brush the stuff from my lashes.

It was still settling when I looked around me to see what the heck had happened, and if the ribbon was still around. Lying at my feet, just as if I had pulled the ends of a large party popper, was a wreath of flowers. Blushing and feeling a little confused, I bent to retrieve it.

The wreath was beautiful and strange to me - Underground flowers, I knew. Bright spring colored petals that were rounded, fluttery, and utterly adorable. A very cheesy grin plastered itself on my face as I settled the wreath on top of my head. I reached up to test and make sure they were secure, and wouldn't fall off, but… with one gentle tug, and then another, I realized that the flowers liked where they were, and weren't coming off my head anytime soon. Several, less gentle tugs confirmed it – the wreath had decided to stay put.

This initially freaked me out. I almost had a reaction similar to Jareth's, after he realized I had put tiny braids in his hair – you know, jumping about and flailing, trying to get them out. But, I reminded myself, the flowers weren't doing any harm, so I could worry about them later. Time would run out if I let myself get distracted so easily.

Besides… I felt like a princess with them on my head and they emitted a faint tinkling sound in the breeze that just sounded magical.

With a shrug, I turned to locate the ribbon, to see if it was still around, but was unable to find it anywhere. "Oh well,"

But, the moment I said the words, far down the corridor to my left I spotted a flicker of pale blue. I faced that direction with determination.

"Okay, I see how this is going to go, now. Off we go."

* * *

At first, things seemed rather uneventful. I followed the corridor down the direction I had seen the flicker of blue, looking for an opening in the wall. I did notice, however, that the Labyrinth was quite different from the last time I had run. No more was the corridor littered with clusters of dead twigs, branches, and the incredibly creepy eyeball lichen. Instead, it was clear, and here and there I came across patches of soft primrose-looking flowers. 

At last, I found the opening. It was brick archway to my right. I ducked in and started down the path I found there. Slowly, the brick work changed from small brown bricks to large flat sandstone. I kept going. Somehow, I had been hoping to find another glimpse of blue once I had reached the point where I had seen the blue disappear, but was rather disappointed. No blue.

The stone walls I passed by looked all the same, but somehow, regardless of how many branches off the main path there were, the way remained clear to be seen. Sure, I could take an unnecessary turn to the left or right, but when that happened, It would quickly become apparent that I was going the wrong way, or it would quickly lead to a dead end. I found that, after a few experimentations with this, that I was able to recognize which ways were the right ones.

Almost… almost as if the right way is always there before you, if you only look for it. I suppose that if more runners were less self-centered and were more open to face the Labyrinth as it was, rather than make terrible assumptions or push their own images upon it, then they wouldn't have much of a challenge to face.

My mind began contemplating this concept, and I guess I began to zone out on where I was going. I rounded a corner and, since the sandstone blended in with itself so well, I didn't even see the slope. A rather steep slope at that – like one of those sickening moments where you realized a little too late that there was a step down, and there is that horrible lurch when your foot doesn't touch ground that you were expecting to be there. Only… I think that, in this case, it was worse, because unlike a single step down, where I could possibly just fall flat on my face and promptly get back up, I was now sliding down a slippery slide of a sort.

I'm honestly not sure what surprised me more – the fact that I had fallen at all, or the fact that I had miraculously managed to keep my feet first, rather than falling face first. I still haven't figured that out. A scream sounded from my throat as I slid, accompanied by the slightly shrill ringing of the flowers on my head. It was a strange combination, to say the least.

It was a spiral slide, a terribly long one at that. I'm not sure how many times I went around, nor was I sure when it was exactly that I landed, on my rump, on a large and plushy sort of pillow that awaited me at the end.

"Oof!" I landed somewhat indignantly, and was very grateful that Jareth wasn't around. Oh, I'm sure he could probably see me, but I refused to think of that. Man, I was even more grateful that I had worn jeans and a sensible shirt, else the sprawled state in which I landed would have been rather embarrassing.

It took my eyes a minute to adjust to the lower lighting – I was now in a tunnel, I was pretty certain. Once I could see, I stood, brushed myself off, straightened my hair (which was a little tricky, as some of the strands had gotten tangled in the flowers, but after a tug or two, the flowers were more than happy to release them… just not the rest of my hair), and began heading down the tunnel. I knew there wasn't much point in trying to backtrack. It had been too steep and too slippery, first off, but also, even though I had been in my own thoughts, I had been sure that the turn I had made had been the correct one. Even as I began walking in the dark, I could somewhat feel that I was in the right place – right on track.

"My, you came so quickly! You're doing very well, to be so ahead of schedule!" boomed a voice to my right.

"Aaah!" I jumped back against the wall to my left.

"Ouch! My eye!" boomed a voice right behind me – I could feel the wall moving. I screamed and ran back the way I came.

"No, please! Don't go!" Called the first voice, loud and deep.

I paused. "What are you?" I demanded, "And how many are you? What's going on?"

The second voice laughed, merrily, "She's very smart not to be overly trusting, you know. Very smart indeed."

"We," said the first voice, "Are usually False Alarms. I am sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you."

I put a hand on my heart, trying to calm myself, and slowly re-approached the Alarms. "Aren't… aren't you supposed to tell me I'm going the wrong way, or something? You know, alarm me, falsely?"

The first one laughed, "Yes, but you aren't here running, are you? You're here for a different reason."

"You, young lady, are being courted by the King," the second one said, his big stone face now in my sight (and a little creepy… it was so big, it's stone eyes looking at me, unblinkingly), "That is something very different, indeed."

My cheeks reddened, "Ah, well…" I looked at the second one, the one I had accidentally poked. "I'm sorry about your eye… I didn't see you there."

It smiled at me, "No problem at all – it was more my own fault, Lady," it said, "I should have spoken up sooner. It isn't every day that a pretty lady like your self comes through our corridor, and I confess I was distracted."

I went even redder, "Oh… heh… so, you're not hurt, then?"

It smiled and looked away, "She's so kind! No, lady, I am just fine. I'm stone, after all."

"Of course," I said, feeling slightly silly. I slowly moved farther into the corridor, nodding to the face belonging to the first voice, "And I didn't mean to scream at you, either…"

"She is kind," said the first voice, more to the second one, than to me, "Your reaction was most understandable – now, you had better hurry on, you still have a ways to go."

I nodded, "I guess your right, thank you, and you," I said, to both of them, passing them and moving farther into the corridor.

"Oh, and she's so polite!" said a new but equally deep voice on my left. I jumped a little, then reminded myself that certainly there was bound to be more False Alarms.

"Hello," I said, unable to hide the red that still plagued my face, "Uh, thank you…"

"Polite, yes, and lovely," said one to my right, softly, making me giggle a little, "I didn't know she would be so fair."

I started to stammer a reply, but was cut off by another voice, equally as praising of me. I wanted to correct them, to tell them no, I wasn't really what they seemed to think of me, but after awhile, I decided the most polite thing to do would be to smile and nod as I passed them, and take their compliments graciously.

"Oh, it seems the King has chosen a wonderful girl!" said the first one, again.

"Yes, yes, I quite agree! She's so graceful and treads so softly!" said a new one.

"Oh, how true. So many just plod past us, but she's so delicate and gentle!" said one I had already passed, to my right… I was starting to lose track.

"Modest, too. We don't see many modest ones, these days. Very sensible, it seems."

"She has beautiful eyes – have you seen her eyes? Very soft."

"I didn't see her eyes," one said, farther back, "But I thought her hair looked very soft."

"It was!" called the second one, from down at the other end of the tunnel, "Very soft, and beautiful!"

"So demure, so gracious," cooed one in a corner that was somewhat facing me as I approached, "It's a pity we don't see more like this one. I'm rather fond of her,"

"Oh, please," I said, pressing my palms on my cheeks, "You're embarrassing me!" unfortunately, my voice came out with very little conviction, and was rather squeaky.

It smiled at me, "But, it is true. You are very nice, you know. We don't see many people who are so nice. You can't blame us."

I smiled, but kept walking. I could see a little more light up ahead, and so I figured that the tunnel of False Alarms was probably coming to an end, soon.

"She has such a nice smile, and her teeth are pretty too. Did anyone else see her teeth?"

A couple more down the corridor were discussing my teeth, at that point. I think I could still hear that second one talking about my hair, too. Well, I thought to myself, at the very least, I would be leaving this tunnel with a smile.

"Whoo, work it, girl!"

I stopped, turning slowly to face the False Alarm that had addressed me, last. "Excuse me?"

It blinked, innocently, "Uh… I mean… you so fine, you blow my mind…?"

I pulled a slight face, "I beg your pardon?"

It cleared its throat and said, in a disturbingly proper voice, "Why, you are pretty hot and tempting, sexy mamma. Strut your stuff, sugar."

My jaw nearly hit the floor and I felt my fists clenching at my sides, "You… you… how dare you!" if any man ever said something like that to me, I'd probably slap them. As it was, I figured that slapping a False Alarm might break the bones in my hand, so I decided to just walk away.

"Oh, yeah, baby got back!"

And my temper blew.

I whirled around and charged at the False Alarm. I almost reached him, too, except that a couple of arms grabbed me around the waist and began to haul me in the opposite direction.

"Let me go!" I hollered, kicking and wiggling to get free, "Let me at him! Lemme go!"

A gentle voice sighed, and there was a strange sort or lurch in my anger-blurred vision. The next thing I knew, I was up in the air… sort of. I blinked to figure out where I was. I still had an arm around my waist, but I was going backward, and I could see the ground below me, and boots… oh, wait. I was being carried, over a shoulder, if I wasn't mistaken. I turned my head down to see who had me. I could see blond hair to my left, a deep maroon jacket, black boots, and tight breeches. "Jareth?"

"Yes, dearling," he said.

"What are you doing here?"

"Preventing you from doing damage."

I frowned, "Jareth… did you _hear_ what that Alarm said to me?"

He sighed, "Wren, they only had the nicest things to say to you, I was certain."

"Jareth… that thing had some sort of Aboveground hip-hop slang about how lovely my backside is. I wouldn't exactly say that was nice."

He paused, "Well, you do… wait, did you say that it was _not_ very nice?"

"Yep. Kinda derrogatory."

He muttered a curse, under his breath, "I _knew_ I should not have asked for Tillan's help on these…"

I growled, looking back at the fading view of the False Alarms – well, for me it was forward, as I was being hauled backwards. "Put me down, Jareth."

"Not until we are a bit farther down this tunnel. You cannot blame the poor Alarm – it thought it was saying something especially sweet to you."

"I won't go back, looking for a fight, I swear, now put me down!" I hated feeling like a sack of potatoes.

"Not yet," he said, stubbornly.

"Jareth! Gah!" I wiggled, but he only shifted his grip on me so he was holding my legs tightly around the thighs, preventing them from doing much wiggling. In frustration, and with a grin on my face, I raised my hand up and smacked him on the back of his tight breeches.

"Wren!" he gasped, stopping abruptly and staggering a step.

"Put me down, _please_?" I asked, snickering.

I felt his shoulders shake with laughter. "Not yet," he said again, giving me a good smack on my rump.

I made an indignant sort of squawk, but held still until had reached whatever point of safety he'd determined was appropriate, and sat me down on my feet. I folded my arms across my chest and frowned up at him. "You didn't have to haul me away like that, you know."

He smiled and cocked his head to the side, "Oh? Someone had to save that poor Alarm from your wrath. He is, though stationary, one of my subjects, you realize – I had to protect him."

"Him? _Him_? You know I found…" I trailed off as Jareth took two steps towards me. I backed up, but found that with the wall behind me, I only had one step to take. He smirked and leaned in very close to my face, resting his hands on the wall behind me and on either side of my head.

"I do not believe you realize, Wren," he said in a soft voice, just above a whisper, "How vibrantly lovely you become when so angered." Then he ducked his face even closer and pressed his lips to mine.

I had, at first, been thinking of some sort of reply, but it took only a moment of his kiss to erase it from my thoughts. What did it really matter, anyhow? Frankly, nothing really mattered whenever Jareth took to kissing me.

I fell forward a step when he pulled back. Luckily, he didn't move away and so I fell against him rather than falling on my face. Not that it was certain that I would have fallen on my face, but I tell you, after a kiss like that, it could have been a definite possibility. I stared up at him sheepishly as he stole a minute to brush the hair from my eyes and stroke his gloved fingertips across my cheek.

"So, Wren," he began stepping back from me and clasping his hands behind his back, "How are you enjoying the Labyrinth, so far?"

I grinned at him, slyly, "I'm finding it very different than before."

"Different – but are you pleased with it?"

"I'm not displeased," I said, truthfully, "But I still can't help but wonder what you're up to."

He pulled a most adorably confused face, "Truly? You have not figured it out, yet? Wren, I am shocked! Certainly you have realized my motives, at least, if not the entire purpose?"

I frowned at him and balled my hands at my hips, "GK, I woke up this morning to find a sleeping goblin in the hood of my coat, in my closet, telling me that you were requesting me to come, take the day off work, and rerun your Labyrinth, despite having already done so, way back when. I am afraid your motives or purpose or whatever isn't clear at all. I'm a lot of things, but a mind reader isn't one of them."

He reached out a gloved hand and lifted my chin with two fingers, "You have no idea how close you are, do you?"

"Close to what?"

"The answer you seem to be searching for, of course," he smiled.

"Jareth," I said, turning my head to the side, "I don't get it."

He sighed, "Like all good riddles, Wren, the answer may not be as complicated as it seems, and just takes a bit of thought on your part. In fact, it may be obvious. You are a clever girl, my dearling, and I have faith in your logical reasoning." He began to step away and down the corridor.

"Wait," I said, "You're leaving?" Urgh, it was a stupid question, even to my own ears.

He grinned at me over his shoulder, "Now, where would be the fun in any riddle if someone walked you through it? No, no, I shall leave you to it. Have no fear, I am sure you will _breeze _through it in no time." His grin broadened as he lifted up a crystal on his finger tips.

"Jareth…" my voice held a wary tone to it that I just didn't quite have words for.

He snapped his fingers and the crystal popped. Instantly he faded from sight, and a sharp breeze picked up in the corridor. It blew my hair backwards and most definitely began to tug against my clothes. I had to squint against it and would have covered my eyes, except that, in the small space, it began to howl rather loudly and I had to cover my ears instead.

Then, far ahead, I caught an odd glint of color. Not just any color, though – of blue. Ribbon blue. It came at me so quickly, I didn't have much time to think or react, and, I tell you, catching a ribbon on a furious wind is no easy thing. I leapt up in the air, and while I felt the soft ribbon quickly whip past my fingers, I had no hope of actually holding on to it. There was just no way.

I landed and turned my back to the wind, determined. I saw the ribbon blow down the corridor, catch on a corner that was almost invisible to my eyes from this distance (in fact, I wouldn't have seen it at all, had it not been for the blue ribbon), flutter as if to wave farewell, and then vanished from sight.

"Here we go," I said against the howling wind.

I started down the corridor or tunnel or whatever you'd call it at a high run. I'm not much of a runner, but there is something to be said about running _with_ a high wind. It makes you feel like you are a runner or something. It takes considerably less effort, I admit, and after a bit of it, I was smiling and having much fun. I was almost flying! Sure, it was probably dangerous but… oh, I trusted Jareth. He wouldn't send me barreling into a wall.

The breeze died just enough when I met the curve and corner that the ribbon had rounded and, while I didn't see the ribbon there (nor had I honestly expected to), it picked up again, almost doubling, I was certain. I lept lightly, each stride seeming to be about the length of what three of mine would have been, without the wind behind me, lifting me along. Admittedly, the high wind did sting a little on my back as it howled and passed me, but I was having too much fun to care.

Down and around lots of curves I flew, eventually squealing with delight, as if I was riding a roller coaster, without a care at all. No cares, that is, until the thought tickled the back of my mind, wondering what I was going to do at the end of the tunnel. Would the wind stop? Would it rocket me out of a tube, shooting me half-way into the forest, or something? What would happen?

Well, dang, I sure didn't know.

And, even then, it wasn't until I saw the dark wall of mottled green ahead of me that I _really_ worried about it.

I let out a startled shriek and tried to stop – unfortunately, there wasn't much I could do at that point to slow down sufficiently. I threw my hands up in the air to, I don't know, grab something or stop myself from becoming a smear on the green wall or something, because impact was unavoidable. I was flung out over a sheer drop – the tunnel literally just ended with a drop! I was terrified…

… but I didn't fall.

There were hands on my shoulders to steady me, and a couple beneath my feet… in fact, there were hands everywhere. Green, gnarly hands above me, below me, to my left and right, sticking out a foot or two from the wall.

_Helping hands_.

Why was I not grossed out by this? I'm not sure. I found it fascinating, in a very odd sort of way. I looked around me in awe. Several hands came together and made faces to watch me, others simply waved excitedly.

"Hello," I said, still panting and trying to get my heart rate back to normal.

Several hands in front of me came together to form a bright and smiling face. "Hello, to you, too," it said in strange echoing tones that reverberated lightly off the walls around me. "You came! We heard about you, about the King's Lady, but we didn't ever think we would get to meet you!"

"Oh," I said, going very red, indeed, "I'm very sorry not to have met you all sooner… I am very pleased to meet you – whoa!" I wobbled on the palms I was standing on.

Another face appeared, just to my left, with a mustache and thick eyebrows, "Don't worry, we won't let you fall!"

"I appreciate that," I said, hurriedly. "Uh, so where to now?"

A third face appeared to my right, "Well, you would have a choice, either up or down, you see,"

"Yes," agreed the middle face, "But you need to go up."

"Up?" I asked, looking above me. About fifty feet or so, there was a light – I assumed it was the exit. "Okay, how do I get there?"

The face grinned, "That's what we're for!"

"That's right!" said the face on the left, "We are here to help you! Come on, now. We will give you hands to hold,"

"Yes," said the face on the right, "And places for your feet to climb! We are here to help, after all."

I looked all around me – there were several more faces formed, now, of all sorts of shapes and sizes. "That's awfully nice – and it kinda sounds like fun," I reached a hand up above my head, "What do I grab first?"

Several of the faces dissolved to just hands. One shot out, snapped once to get my attention, then held itself out to me, palm upward. I giggled and took it, then looked down to find one ready for my foot. Several hands were now coming together, almost like they did for their faces, only they were lacing together, palms upward, as though someone were kneeling down to help me get up on a horse. In alternating patterns they laced, forming quite a nice ladder for my feet.

Not to say it wasn't an awkward climb. I couldn't help but feel like I was stepping on people or something. I kept expecting someone to shout out or complain that I was hurting them, or something, but they never did. In fact, as I climbed up, several new faces chatted with me, merrily, asking me this or that. Yet, strange and interesting as it was, it wasn't long before I was tired – my shoulders were terribly sore from pulling myself upward. My legs could have handled the climb alone, but they were also a little tired from running down the tunnel, before I came to the hands.

When I paused to catch my breath and roll my shoulders, a new face appeared to my left, "Are you doing alright?" it asked, worriedly.

I smiled at it, "I'm fine, I'm just a little tired from the climb. You are all very helpful to me, and I can't thank you enough, but my shoulders are a little tired."

"Would you like us to lift you?" it asked, sounding nothing but helpful.

Uh, that's a no. I don't like being lifted, as though I can't do anything. The only person who I don't mind lifting me, is Jareth, and that is because he somehow manages to do so effortlessly, as though I don't weigh a thing, and it's always very comfy when he does. But others? Even the Helping hands? "No, thank you," I said, quickly, "I don't mind climbing up – it's quite fun, really – my shoulders are just tired. A short rest, and I'll be good to go."

"Oh," it said, smiling, "Well, we can help with that, too. We've helped the King, many times, when he is stressed, you know."

"You what?" I didn't understand, exactly. What did they help with?

My answer came when two hands extended out on the wall behind me, taking hold of my shoulders. Slowly and with deliberate pressure, the fingers began to knead my muscles. Sure, it was a little creepy, but it did feel nice. I wish I could have relaxed more, though. Unfortunately, the moment I thought to close my eyes for a bit, a small something niggled at the back of my mind, reminding me that I really had to get going. Sure, I'm certain I had plenty of time to spare, but it wasn't wise to take things for granted in the Labyrinth.

I shrugged and rolled my shoulders, "Thank you – that feels much better,"

"Ready to climb again?" a face asked me.

I nodded with a smile, "You bet, let's go."

* * *

At the top of the shaft, I found a relatively simple hatch that opened nicely when I pushed on it. I scrambled up and out, turning to wave at all the hands and holler down a final thanks and farewell before I closed the hatch. 

It was a bright day, but as my eyes adjusted, I realized that it wasn't as bright as I was expecting. It was close to either noon or one o'clock, I was sure, but the trees overhead and all around were thick enough to block out most of the glare. I was now in the Firey forest.

Getting to my feet and brushing off my knees, I stood and tried to figure out which way to go. Given that the trees hid the sun so well, it was rather difficult to tell which way was which. I was hoping to see a flash of blue, since that ribbon had seemed to lead me along pretty good, so far, but I was only surrounded by the browns and greens of the undergrowth.

Faintly, far ahead, I could hear music. A small ripple of fear ran through me, thinking about the Fireys, and what they would have in store for me – true, the last time I dealt with them it had been an act for a runner, but that didn't mean it hadn't been frightening. In general, they were rather terrifying, and a bit wilder than I cared for.

Still… the music wasn't wild or crazy. The more I strained to listen, the more intrigued I became. I followed in the direction of the music, letting it guide me. Perhaps, I thought, it wasn't the Fireys. Perhaps it was something else in the Labyrinth that I had yet to see. Who knew? I followed without fear.

As it turned out, I was both right and wrong. The music was coming from the Fireys, but I could honestly say that this was something I hadn't seen before. The first one I spotted was sitting up in a tree, its feet dangling off the edges of a branch. As it sat there, humming a somewhat deep rhythm of a sort, it started snapping its fingers a little bit. A ways further down, I heard similar snapping, and then some even farther. It was a signal that I had arrived.

So, apparently, Jareth had let them know I'd be coming. What the heck was he up to, here?

I passed the first one and began to catch, more clearly, the harmonizing voices of the others. The song was very familiar, but I couldn't quite place it, yet. And, seriously, it was _familiar_, and in a really strange way…

It was the second Firey I passed that took up the melody and main lyrics of the song. I jumped when I saw him, hanging upside down from a tree in a rather causal fashion – as though it were as natural to him as walking upright was for me. Heck, for all I know, it was natural to him, but it startled me, all the same. I really didn't know much about them, a fact that struck me somewhat strangely as I mused about it. Why not? I'd have to pester Jareth for more info about them, later on. He gave me what I assumed to be a bird-like grin, and, of all things, began to sing.

"_Cold fire,_" he sang, "_You've got everything but cold fire, you will be my rest and peace child_," he swung to sit upright on the branch, "_I moved up to take a place near you_!"

I pulled a face and kept walking. Was that…? I giggled, catching sight of a few more of them, up in the trees ahead of me, most of them snapping their fingers and keeping a doo-wop sort of tempo going, but one of them cleared his throat to take the lead.

"_So tired_," he went, "_It's the sky that makes you feel tired, it's a trick to make you see wide, it can all but break your heart in pieces_…"

And so the song went on, passed from one Firey to the other as I walked onward down the path. I giggled and snickered endlessly. I never thought to get serenaded by the Fireys, ever, and never with a David Bowie song, and never with, of all the songs, _The Prettiest Star_.

"_Staying back in your memory,_

_Are the movies in the past_

_How you moved is all it takes_

_To sing a song of when I loved _

_The prettiest star_

_One day_

_Though it might as well be someday_

_You and I will rise up all the way_

_All because of what you are_

_The Prettiest Star!"_

They ran the chorus a couple of times through, and when they had finished, I found that, before me, the trees were clearing, and I could see, not too far off, the Goblin City. I halted in my steps and looked behind me. I had come up in the forest, yes, so how come I wasn't coming up to, say, the bog? Wasn't that next in line? Surely Jareth hadn't gotten rid of it? It was so iconic… as bad as it smelled, it was still important, right?

I looked ahead at the city, feeling a little puzzled. How could I have by passed the bog? It was not as if that thing could go unnoticed. A glance behind me, and I nearly came out of my skin – a Firey was right there, grinning at me. Or, well, as much of a grin as a bird-like thing can do.

"Relax, Lady," he said, waving a hand at me, somewhat lazily, "You seem a little uptight. Just relax! The city is right there, you're almost there, and you've got plenty of time!"

Calming myself, I laughed, "I'm relaxing, you just startled me, is all. You weren't there, a second ago."

He shrugged, "You didn't look confused a second ago."

I gave him a thoughtful look, "Can you answer me a question?"

"I might. I can try," he said, seeming to half-heartedly ponder it, "But just for you, pretty Lady." Firelight rippled through his buggy eyes.

I shivered, just a little, and not because it was cold or anything. It was, after all, barely two in the afternoon, at the latest. I couldn't help it – at a close range, while fascinating, the Fireys were also creepy. Just a bit.

"Awesome," I started, "So, okay, I came up in the forest, so how come I didn't pass the bog?"

He threw his head back and cackled, holding his stomach as if I had just told the funniest joke ever. "Lady!" he said, making very little effort to compose himself, "You already passed it, before you came up! You went right around it, on the underside, you see? You think the King would let a sweet thing like you go sniffing that, and today of all days?"

"Well," I said, hesitantly, "I guess not… so I already passed it, then, before I even met the Helping Hands. Alright, then, that's one less thing to worry about. Thank you," I started to head towards the junk yard, and the city beyond, when I turned back, suddenly. "Hey, wait!" I called to the Firey, who was now doing a handstand and walking backwards to the forest, "What's so special about today?"

He shook his head, which promptly fell off and rolled off to the side – I gasped and covered my mouth – but he still smiled. "No can do there, babe," it hollered as its body fumbled to find the head, while balancing on one hand, "One question asked, one answer given. Now, get moving! You'll figure it out!"

I frowned and wanted to press the matter further, but didn't think I could handle the sight of the creature dealing with it's own head, so I decided to just try and use my head on this. Perhaps I could figure it out while I passed through the junk.

As I entered the junk yard, I saw several of the Junk people, but they gave me wide berth and paid me no mind. Still, from my perspective, though, they didn't seem to be just aimless people wandering in the junk, obsessing over items lost or forgotten… it was almost like they were sorting through it, you know? I noticed one that seemed to be carrying, primarily, stuffed toys on its back. Another had what looked like kitchen equipment. I didn't feel comfortable calling them 'junk people', as they seemed to be more like Junk Keepers or something.

As the thought occurred to me, something flashed through my mind. It was an odd sort of image, one composed of several ideas but rather vague in the purpose of it. Somehow, I understood what it meant. When someone ran, the Labyrinth had to change to accommodate it. In some cases, it needed to be frightening, others it had to be friendly. This junk yard all of a sudden changed in my eyes – it wasn't just junk, but more like props. The random and somewhat messy prop department of a company or production team that often had to put on plays from every genre and style imaginable. The people running around and through it were doing they're very best to keep it organized – or to at least know where things were, and what all they had available for when a specific thing was needed.

I smiled, wondering if this was how Jareth saw this place. So much of the Labyrinth had changed in my mind in the last few hours… and I felt really honored for it.

Pressing forward, though slowly, I continued through the yard and began to contemplate what the deal was about today.

"Alright," I muttered to myself, "Time to analyze the facts here. Jareth set this up, apparently with quite the pomp and circumstance, so this is important. Important to Jareth, at least. What else do I know? Hmm. I know that there has been a blue ribbon floating around… eh, I don't think that's got much to do about today, though. What else?" I stepped across a pole and continued down the path, eyeing the castle spires in the distance, "I do know that Jareth said I was so close, down in the tunnels. What had I said? Something… something about taking the day off work to rerun this thing, after already doing it a year ago, and then he said that I was close…"

I gasped and stopped in my tracks. A year ago. Yep, I had run the Labyrinth a year ago. What day was it? I ticked off the days in my head and recalled the date…

"Holy crap," I said aloud, "Today's the year mark since I wished myself away! How could I have forgotten that?! It's… it's…" I pressed my palms to my cheeks, "It's the anniversary of when we first met!"

And, at that pronouncement, the ground beneath my feet fell away and I was swallowed up in darkness.

* * *

The fall somewhat disoriented me, and for a split second I thought that, for certain, I was, or had been, unconscious. The second after that, I realized that, no, I had not lost consciousness, but was only in the dark, surrounded solely by the tinkling sound of the flowers on my head. 

I also had the strange feeling that I had not fallen in a straight drop. Reaching a hand behind me confirmed that idea, my fingers finding a slope, similar to the slide that had led me to the tunnel of the False Alarms, except that it was straight, rather than a spiral. Beneath me, as well, I felt a soft cushion that had broken my fall – it seemed that Jareth had made sure that this time I would not break my leg, as had happened on my first run. The sentiment and the extra thought made me smile. He certainly had thought this out.

"Well," I said, softly to myself, "This is an Oubliette, but for what purpose?" I knew exactly what an Oubliette was for, especially in the Labyrinth, but I also knew that in this run, everything had some sort of purpose, generally all tuned towards being a surprise for me, in some way or another – something that now made me feel embarrassed, especially since I hadn't even thought of the anniversary of when we met. Of our first official date, sure, and of when he first kissed me, yes, but my wish? I had known it in the back of my mind, but it had somehow slipped my thoughts, and I felt rotten for it. Some girlfriend I was.

But my negative thoughts were interrupted by faint and ever growing light up ahead. The illumination increased dramatically, revealing the room I was in to be more than an average Oubliette. No chains or skeletons or anything dark. No, instead there were dark but elegant drapes hanging on the walls, a slight shimmer on them that flickered in the growing light. Other than the slide on which I had entered, there seemed to be no other door to the place, and by all appearances it was a circular room.

And, though I can't quite explain how I knew it, I could feel magic in the air all around me.

I turned my attention to the source of the light. It seemed to be emanating from a pedestal which stood in the center of the circular room. I got to my feet, brushed myself off, and approached it with curiosity. Sitting innocently on a small cushion atop the pedestal was a crystal, about the size of my fist, twinkling and flickering like a star. Resting beside it was a piece of parchment. My hand reached out and retrieved the stiff parchment and, holding it up in the light of the crystal, I read the familiar looping pen. It said:

_My Dearling Wren,_

_Have you guessed it now? My smart girl, I knew you would. One year ago, this very evening, you made a wish that changed both our lives. I doubt you will ever truly know how much that wish now means to me._

_Without adequate words, I wish to express my gratitude alternatively. For you, I have a gift._

_The crystal before you is rare and unique and I am certain you will enjoy what you find inside. Hold this crystal and turn it carefully. It will show you the secret desires of your heart, your greatest ambition, your loftiest goal, and your most treasured wish – your dreams. No, I do not know the contents – they are yours and yours alone, and I will not intrude. _

_Yet, unlike the dreams for others, meant to indulge in the wildest fantasies, I have placed a restriction. I could not bear to see you heartbroken with dreams that cannot come true, so I give you only that which you may obtain – all that lies within your reach. May they inspire you, give you hope, make you laugh, and bring you joy…_

… _all that your presence has given me. _

_Truly yours, _

_Jareth_

Somewhere in there, a few tears had sprung from the corners of my eyes to roll down my cheeks. I swiped them away with my fingers, sniffed, then carefully folded the note and placed it tenderly in my pocket.

I stared intently at the crystal. It had ceased it's flickering, as though it knew it now had my full attention. My heart was beating quite quickly now… this little thing held my dreams? It would show them to me? The question was, though, did I want to know them? There seemed to be a danger in taking this gift, however innocently given. Jareth restricted it to show me only what was possible – so no wildly impossible things – yet to see something and know that you, yourself, have the power to achieve it… well, what if you don't get it?

I mean, think about it. If you saw yourself being an astronaut or discovering a cure for cancer while also winning an Oscar, and that never happened, well, you wouldn't really feel too terribly disappointed, would you? It would only be, after all, a wild and crazy dream. But something like getting a new car or a promotion at work, the actually possible things? If they don't come true, well, that puts the blame on you, doesn't it? You would know that you _could_ have had those things, if you had only done something differently. It was not an easy thing to accept.

But yet…

There was an inaudible hum in the room – I could feel it. It was magic, great magic, pulsing from the crystal, but also in another way that I couldn't quite understand. In the same sense that I could tell where Jareth was in his castle each time I counted the crystals in my ring to go Underground, I could feel that there was something else in store for me, should I take this gift. I couldn't explain it, but I did feel that there was some higher purpose in me taking the crystal, that whether I took it or not, something special would come about – and, in that case, this crystal would truly be a gift, to allow me to understand something or other, before hand.

And, having that knowledge with me, I reached out with both hands and scooped it up.

The room erupted in tiny sparkles all over and the crystal began to glow. I inhaled sharply, for it sent a feeling through my hands that I had only felt once before – when Jareth's bare palm had crossed mine. Yes, this was most definitely magic, perhaps the clearest manifestation of Jareth's powers that I had seen so far, and it was leaving me breathless.

Setting my feet firmly apart and steadying myself as best I could, I lifted the orb up and twisted it carefully in my fingers. It was only a fractional rotation, but the results were entirely startling. Imagine suddenly having super vision; it brought the swirling depths of the crystal up before my eyes with absolute clarity.

And with that, I could see my dreams.

* * *

Everything was slightly hazy. 

First thing I saw was my room, and my own self, walking around in it. There were boxes being stacked up and taken out one by one by myself and some men I didn't quite recognize. I was taking things off my bookshelf and placing them in a box, which I taped up and handed off to a man. Another man came in and retrieved my beanbag chair – I quickly pointed a finger at him and told him to be careful with it.

Things swirled and the image changed. Now the men were bringing the boxes in, but the room was different. It was a living room, and I was standing in the middle of it, my hands on my hips and a smile on my face as I looked around. I was saying something about freedom and it's value. In the front door, between the men who were carrying the boxes, walked Persephone, who came up and hugged me tightly, saying something about how wonderful I was and how glad she was that I was striking out on my own.

The image faded, showing me my cubicle at work. We were all there, working, and I could see Allie in the back. She stood, suddenly, and said to our team that she had an announcement she wanted to tell us. The image changed, and I now saw myself hugging her tightly, along with Kay and Dan. Kay was examining her left hand which now had a ring on the third finger.

That image seemed to zoom out a little, and I spotted the security guard. No, wait, it was Jareth. He was there, in the back, smiling at Allie, too.

Jareth…

Orla came into view, then. I felt my nose turn up. But, wait, she wasn't the same… her face was quite plain – no makeup, at all. Strangely, she looked quite a bit like Mom without all that glam. She was sitting quietly on a couch, and I was sitting beside her. We were both holding books and reading quietly. Her book seemed rather thick, for her taste.

New image – I was in a kitchen, making cookies. Turning my head away from the mixing bowl for just a second, a long and elegant finger reached over my shoulder to dip in and steal a glob of the mix. I turned, both angry and laughing, to swat at Jareth and scold him for touching my cookies. He was laughing and dancing out of my reach.

I saw Orla again. This time, she had a little makeup on, but still not like herself. She looked so very happy, though. A man I didn't know came up beside her. He was her same height and had a receding hair line, but he kissed her and held her hand, lovingly. I noticed then that she was wearing Mom's wedding dress. I came up beside her, in a blue dress, and she turned and hugged me tightly, saying something about a thank you and an apology… I said something about how it wasn't needed. I stepped back from her, and I saw someone come up behind me, grabbing me gently by the waist. It was Jareth, wearing a tuxedo. I leaned against him, smiling as he nuzzled my hair.

Jareth…

I now saw Jareth, approaching me, flowers in his hands. He extended them out to me, and I saw myself, taking them and blushing. Was that even me? Yes, it was, but I wasn't quite the same. I almost looked a tiny bit taller, or something. Jareth reached out a hand and stroked my cheek – I leaned into his hand, which was ungloved.

The image flashed, and I saw, briefly, Jareth standing in a very grand suit, looking very much like the Goblin King, and surrounded by royalty. He was haughty and proper, everything about him crisp and immaculate. Yes, I was saying to myself, though I could not see myself, he was King.

The flash died, and I saw the two of us cuddling together in an oversized beanbag chair by the fire. Our clothes were as average as they could be, and both of us had ruffled and rather windblown looking hair. I was in a plain t-shirt and jeans, Jareth in a casual shirt and dark pants. Unlike the previous image, he looked like my Jareth, not necessarily the Goblin King. I was watching the fire, Jareth was watching me. One arm around me, he was pulling the hair away from my face, strand by strand. I saw my eyes drift shut at the action, and with that he leant over and kissed me. As he pulled away, I followed, resting my head tightly against him and he enfolded me in his arms. We seemed to be falling asleep.

Jareth again. This time, the two of us were strolling down the streets of the Goblin city. Jareth was openly holding my hand, and a group of goblin children were pointing and smiling.

Then we were dancing. I don't know where, but Jareth was twirling me around across a dance floor, and we were both smiling. It shifted, though, and I saw, at a great distance, Jareth kneeling before me.

My sight swirled. Jareth's mouth inches from mine, whispering something so soft I couldn't hear it. Then our lips were meeting, softly at first, but with an increasing fervor that made my face heat.

The image returned of Jareth, kneeling. It was closer this time, and I could see him clearly, holding my hand. He was on _one _knee.

With a gasp, the image vanished, showing me myself, standing on a dance floor, with, oddly enough, my father. He was rocking me, back and forth, to a faint song I didn't know, like when I was small and used to stand on his feet. My hair was curly and done up elaborately – more so than I ever do it, myself. Daddy is telling me how proud he is of me, and how happy he is for me. We pause when someone taps my father on the shoulder, but it isn't a surprise by the looks on both our faces – we seemed to know it was coming. My father leans down and I hug him tearfully before I turn to accept the dance of who was cutting in – my face lights up as Jareth takes me in his arms. This image is fuzzy, almost in black and white, and the most I can tell is that Jareth is wearing a dark suit – though, most definitely his usual style – and my dress is pale.

I exhaled sharply and the world swam. I blinked, now seeing myself, asleep in a bed. Sitting beside me, on the edge of the bed, is Jareth. He's watching me sleep. He leans down to wake me with a kiss. When my eyes open, he reaches up to brush the hair from my eyes and asks how I'm feeling. I say something about how I'm good, but I'm starving. With a smirk, Jareth comments that he'll take care of that. I see him stroke my cheek as he pulls away from me, sitting up, and then rests a hand on my stomach, very tenderly.

This images dissolved into a series of flashes. Another kiss. Me, watching myself in the mirror, examining a very protruding belly. Jareth and I, laughing. Myself, frowning over a scroll of parchment, at Jareth's desk. Jareth and I, sleeping, my head on his chest. My face, screaming, with sweaty hair sticking to my face and curling around my ears. A rose. A kiss on a cheek. A dance. Holding hands. A smile. The images came faster, and I could hardly make them out, until I saw Jareth, holding Leyla, and then just Jareth, his eyes watching me, smiling.

There was a blinding flash and I was again in the Oubliette. I stumbled backwards, returning to reality with a jolt. I rubbed a hand on my face, clearing the last images from my eyes. It had been like a dream, though, and I was afraid I would forget all that I'd seen. I carefully went over each image in my head, finding that, oddly so, I could remember each one clearly.

Time was getting on, I knew, and I needed to get going and start looking for an exit, but my legs were still shaking, and I was still thinking about all I'd seen. Those were my dreams, my desires, and things that could possibly come true one day.

I got terribly light headed and my legs gave out from underneath me. With a plop, I landed on the ground. I wrapped my arms around myself and tried to calm my breathing. I knew, long ago, that I cared about Jareth. I mean, I always cared about him. He had always been gracious and kind and made me so happy. But… now there was no denying or avoiding what my heart had been trying to tell me for some time. I had seen the proof of it, with my own eyes.

"My word," I breathed between gasps, "I love him. I've fallen in love with Jareth."

* * *

The crystal in my hands had become a solid comfort for me as I sat in the darkness, dealing with my epiphany. I was currently alternating between laughing giddily and then almost hyperventilating. In a strange way, my world felt very unstable, and so I sat there gripping the crystal as though my life depended on it. 

Shaking, I finally peeled my fingers off the crystal and looked down at it. I turned it again, but nothing happened this time. No, I wasn't saddened, as I could still clearly recall all I had seen. I stroked it, thinking about what I had to do.

First of all, I had never loved anyone like this before. I was terrified – it was dangerous territory for my heart to be in, a prime place for it to get broken. I was thrilled – I never thought I would find someone who would care about me enough that I would fall for them. I was hopeful – because I had seen images of a future with Jareth, it meant that that was a possibility. I was scared – Jareth was Fae, and very long-lived at that. Even though we had been together for a year, that wasn't very long for him. I could still be a passing fancy for him, and I wasn't certain that he loved me, or if he ever would love me.

But then, each time negative thoughts entered my mind, I remembered that kiss in the tunnel, along with so many other tender expressions I had had from him in the last year, going all the way back to that day at the fountain, when he confessed he fancied me and kissed me for the first time. And those things brought me around to hope again.

After a long amount of time – I'm not sure how long – I set a resolve. I loved him as much now as I had this morning or yesterday or the day before that. I just knew it with certainty, now. Other than that, nothing had changed, and so I should give myself time. I would keep my heart to myself, for now, and go on with the Labyrinth. Besides, if I told Jareth that I loved him, I wanted to do so at the right moment, and something whispered in my ear that now was not it, at least for him. Maybe, just maybe, he needed a bit more time.

And, surprisingly, I was alright with that. I certainly could use a little more time to deal with it, myself.

With a reassuring nod to myself, I stood, crystal in hand, ready to finish my second run. Somehow, though, I had been too much in my thoughts, and I smacked right into the pedestal, and the crystal dropped from my hand.

"No!" I cried out, fearing it would shatter on the ground, but it didn't. Instead, it bounced and rolled to the far wall. When it touched the dark drapes there, it popped like a bubble, sending some light into the room.

And there, where the crystal had been, rested the blue ribbon.

I grinned, "And so it returns." I approached it, squatted, and reached out to the ribbon. For a second, I expected it to dance out of my reach or something, but it did not. In fact, it did the exact opposite. As if it had a life of it's own, the ribbon swirled up and wrapped around my left wrist, tying itself in a fluffy bow.

A frown spread across my face, and I tugged at the ribbon with my right hand, but it didn't budge. "What the heck?"

I moved to stand, and as I did so, the drapes parted, revealing an archway that led out into the bright sunlight. I covered my eyes for a moment while they adjusted. Something began to pull me towards the sunlight, and the wreath of flowers on my head jingled in a faint breeze. I blinked repeatedly, finally noticing the strange sight before me. The ribbon was, well, leading me. Literally. The end of it was tied around my wrist, and it stretched out beyond what was possible, especially if it was the same ribbon I had been seeing during my run. It extended out, like a rope or something, down a path that I could see led straight to the City. It was taught, though, and I was being pulled closer to wherever the other end of the ribbon was, somewhere far ahead and out of my sight.

Without much choice in the matter, I moved my feet to follow. It had been leading me this far with positive results, I figured it couldn't hurt to trust whatever it had in mind.

I passed quickly through the junkyard, this time with a few of the Junk Keepers watching me from the edge of the path. Some smiled, a few waved. They really fascinated me, and I would have loved to have talked with them, but the ribbon would have none of that and I was led relentlessly towards the city gates.

The gates were open wide, several goblins and other creatures near the entrance were waiting and watching me, bright smiles on there faces. They all waved and cheered when they saw me, as if I was some sort of parade. But, there was no time to allow for me to ponder on that much – I had to pick up the pace. My arm was now outstretched as the ribbon led me along, quickly.

Through the city I went, twisting around the houses and buildings. They were nicer than the last time I had seen them. Many of the house fronts had been whitewashed or other wise washed and cleaned up. I saw small goblin children watching me from windows and doors, mothers with aprons just behind them, and a few fathers, too. The whole city seemed to be celebrating. I wanted to hide my face, but there wasn't time for that. Each time I paused or slowed down, the ribbon tugged impatiently and I had to start off again. The only time it seemed to allow me to stop was when a small ball rolled out into my path. Some small children had been playing with it in the yard of a modest goblin house, and it had bounced over the wall and out in front of me. The children looked all shocked, one even looked frightened.

With a laugh and a smile, I retrieved the ball and returned it to the kids – who promptly ran, squealing with delight, to where their mother stood in the doorway, to show them the ball and how I had stopped to give it to them.

I wanted to say something, introduce myself at least, but the ribbon tugged again, and I was off at a trot.

Finally, I entered the large square before the castle. There was a great multitude of very happy goblins dancing around, here and there. I could see they were all dressed up and excited to be there. There was magic on the wind, sparkling about as it swirled through the square.

The castle doors were open wide. Standing there, at the top of the steps, dressed in an elegant navy suit, a smirk on his face, stood Jareth. In one gloved hand, he held the other end of the ribbon.

Just seeing him made me giggle nervously and flush in my cheeks. Despite the tug on the ribbon (which, from all appearances, seemed to be shrinking back to its proper length in order to bring me to him), I slowed down to a stroll as I approached him.

When I reached the bottom step, I stopped, looking up at him expectantly. "Do I win, then?"

Sedately, and with a widening grin on his face, he descended to the first step, still holding the end of the ribbon up in one hand. His eyes were deep and intense, making my heart beat just a little faster. "Always," he said in a gentle voice, meant only for me to hear.

Holding up the hand bound by the bow, I gave him a look, "Care to set me free?"

Without a word, and still holding my gaze, he lifted my hand in his. With a flick of his wrist, he produced a shinning spark– my ring! Oh, I was so glad to see it! He slipped it back to its proper place on the middle finger of my left hand, then gently lifted that hand and kissed it.

Several goblins who were watching intently, applauded. I blushed, terribly.

Jareth chuckled, then met my gaze again. Turning my wrist upside down, he tugged the ribbon and it slid from my arm. My eyes widened as he turned his head and pressed a kiss to the inside of my wrist, sending shivers down my spine.

"Th-thank you," I stammered, pulling back and clutching my hand, "And not just for this… thank you for everything, Jareth."

His smirk lost all pretenses and softened to one of his true smiles. "Did you enjoy it?" he asked, tentatively.

I nodded.

"Good," he said, now toying with the ribbon in his fingers, "I am glad." Taking the last step from the stairway, he moved to stand at my back. I started to turn and face him, but a hand on my shoulder stopped me. My eyes drifted closed as he gathered my hair in his hands and tied it back with the ribbon. Why does it feel so good to have someone play with your hair? I'll never know. His fingers caressed my neck; I smiled and tilted my head to the side, enjoying the sensation of his soft silk-like gloves on my skin.

There was an electric shock that went through my whole body, causing my eyes to pop open, as I felt warm breath and soft lips press a kiss to where my neck met my shoulder. I gasped involuntarily when another kiss was placed just behind my ear.

I spun, facing him, my eyes wide with surprise. He was smiling softly, but there was definite mirth dancing behind his blue eyes. I smacked his shoulder, lightly, but the action of lifting my arm opened an opportunity for him to wrap his around my waist and pull me closer to him. I took the initiative this time and reached my hand up to his neck, pulling his head down and capturing his lips in a kiss. Soft at first, it reminded me of the one I had dreamt of, quickly deepening and causing my face heat up – and caused the majority of the watching goblins to explode in a cacophony of cheers.

Oh, I felt so embarrassed. I pulled back and buried my face in his chest. It felt so safe there. With my face in his shirt and jacket, I was felt hidden from the world, safe and protected. He was kind enough to allow me my moment to hide.

"Alright," he said at length, stepping back from me, "I think it is high time we joined the celebration."

I looked up at him, now curious. "Celebration?"

He took my hand and led me up the steps, "Naturally. You did realize what today is, yes?"

I paused and looked away, feeling ashamed, "I did – oh, gosh, Jareth, I'm so sorry I forgot… I feel terrible."

He reached out and turned my face back to him, "Wren, do not feel so. Remember, time is… different for me. A year is important in any sort of relationship, but my longevity would place that time more like a month for you. Did you remember the first month after our initial meeting?"

A smile settled on my lips, "Of course I did."

He shrugged, "Well, there you have it, then. Besides, my dearling, had you remembered, I would not have had such fun planning today and watching you run. It was very amusing."

I laughed, "Okay, fine then, but… I got a pretty wreath of flowers – which you will have to detangle from my hair, by the way – a ribbon, a shoulder massage, a serenade, compliments, not to mention my _dreams_… and, well, I didn't know, so, what did _you_ get?"

He paused, turning to look at me, a bemused expression on his face, as if I should know this answer already and said, simply, "You."

"Me?"

"Yes, you… and the smile on your face," his voice dropped to a whisper and he tapped the end of my nose with his finger, "Your beautiful smile made it worth every moment."

My eyes watered, but I refused to let any tears fall. We stood there, watching each other silently. _I love you_, I said, silently. _I love you so much – more now than ever._

"Lady mades it!" came a squeal, breaking our moment. I was almost knocked over as Squyshee came running and grabbed onto my leg, hugging me. Jareth and I both began laughing while I pried him off.

"Yes, yes, Squyshee, I made it," I said, squatting down and patting him on the head.

"Did the King's Lady have fun?" he asked, dancing back and forth on his feet.

I nodded, "Sure did. But, I have one question for you." He looked puzzled. I continued. "What the heck are sweet, pink fluffies, and why does Spoonickty want to lick them off? And off what?"

He giggled and covered his mouth, then motioned for Jareth and I to follow him. "It's the parties, Lady! Comes on!" he dashed off towards the throne room.

I looked at Jareth, who offered me his arm. I took it, and let him lead me after Squyshee. As it turned out, the pink fluffies were iced flowers on a cake that the kitchen goblins had put together for the King's special celebration. When we entered the throne room, Squyshee was chasing a chubby goblin about a head taller than himself away from the cake, and swatting at him. The goblins cheered as we entered, and began to dance around, happily, music filling the room as they did so.

Jareth and I made our way to his throne. He seated himself, then, as was becoming a custom for us on such occasions, he pulled me onto his lap where I curled up and rested my head on his shoulder.

"Jareth? What do you think they're more excited over, us coming in, or the fact that they can now eat some cake?"

"Both, I think. They are happy though, as are you, and as am I. Does it truly matter why?"

I shook my head, laughing, "No, I suppose not."

We sat, content to watch them play and dance. In a few minutes, I would pester Jareth for a dance, but for now, I was happy where I was. How could I not be? I had a whole year of magic and wonders that, before Jareth, I had only ever dreamed existed. I closed my eyes and smiled. It was a very good thing to have my ring, to know that yes, this world around me was real and I was apart of it, and to know that I was in the arms of my dream-come-true.

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**A/N: Yes, everyone! It has been one year since I began this story… well, a bit belated, as this chapter took me forever to write. I wanted to have it up sooner, but it just kept getting longer and longer. Hope none of you mind!**

**Also hope I didn't give anyone a toothache with all that high-concentration fluff going on.**

**Well after a whole year, I have to say thank you all, so very much, for supporting me in this story! I love writing it, and love to hear how much you all love it, too. It has been a wonderful year, and I am so glad that so many of you become so loyal to this – it really means the world to me. All of your reviews just make me smile, to no end, and I appreciate them so very much! Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to review, thus far!**

**Now, hopefully, I can stay funk-free, and update this story sooner…**

**Until next,**

**Much love,**

**Marti**

**P.S. Now, I am going to go listen to Young Americans. Take THAT, Danika! Muahahaha!**


	38. When the Pieces Come Together

**Disclaimer: Any and all characters, places, phrases and people that are in the movie are not mine – and they never were. All that is are the bits from the film that you did not see. Does that make sense?**

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Review Responses:**

To Everyone: Oh, holy cow, I'm in a hurry this morning, and have yet to reply to you! And it's been so long! GAH! I swear, I will still reply. Don't be hatin'.

But, until I do reply, I just want to say, before you all murder me, thank you so much for all your support towards this fic! I can't express my gratitude enough! Thank you so much for all the love you show me, this fic, and, of course, my OC, Wren - who has had to fight to gain any dignity within this fandom, I must say. Again, thank you.

And I will respond, I swear - I just couldn't keep you all waiting for this a minute longer! **

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**Song Recommendations:**

_**Devil's Got a New Disguise **_**by Aerosmith – sweet can be deceiving, can't it?**

_**Telling Lies**_** by David Bowie – must I really explain this further?**

_**Rain, Tax (It's Inevitable)**_** by Celine Dion – deep down, I think you all know it IS inevitable. **

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**A/N: Can you all forgive me for staying away for so long? In my defense, there were reasons as to why I haven't been updating this fic in so long – one of which would be that I wrote a one-shot that took forever. Still… don't kill me, please. I love you all. **

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"Wren…?" came a voice from behind me that was simultaneously pleased and confused.

Instantly, as I flushed bright red in the face, Jareth and I tumbled off his throne. Well, to be fair, he wouldn't have tumbled had he not moved catch me. Really, he ought to know better than to try and stop me from falling, because I almost always end up pulling him with me. Jareth had attempted to stand upright, I had all but rolled off his lap, he tried to prevent me from landing on my rump, and we both somehow managed to end up in a heap on the floor.

I quickly stood – quicker than Jareth, as I'm much more accustomed to having to get up after falling (really, did he _ever_ fall before I came along?) – and took a step away from him. I wasn't trying to be rude, but I was terribly embarrassed. My head instantly turned down and my eyes glued themselves to my feet.

There were two specific reasons why I was embarrassed…

Let me back up a bit, first.

Ever since Jareth and I celebrated our anniversary of meeting one another, I had been in a constant state of blissful elatedness. That evening, when Jareth "walked me home", also known as simply taking me straight to the front door of my house instead of directly to my bedroom (a necessary show for the sake of my parents), he had left me with a goodbye kiss that left me rather disoriented. Coming in the door, I could hardly walk, was blushing like crazy, and smiling more than what I thought my mouth was capable.

Suffice to say, my parents thought I was drunk. Yeah, forget that I don't drink, and that they know I don't drink, my behavior was still questionable.

It was difficult to explain things to them, at that time. Coherent speech in general had been rather difficult. But, I did finally manage to let my Mom and Dad know that I'd spent the day with Jareth, for it was the year mark of when we met.

"You have most definitely not been dating that man for a year," Dad pointed out, a film of skepticism coating his words. I knew what he meant. Had we been dating for a whole year, it would mean that there had been a good six months of time in which I'd not even breathed a word to them about Jareth… and that included my week long vacation. I swear, I could see the implications in his eyes.

I shook my head, "No, Dad, we haven't – but I knew Jareth quite awhile before we started dating," I didn't bother pointing out the exact amount of time, "And it was a year ago that we met."

Mom seemed to be more interested in this than Dad was. She had the same look on her face that she gets when watching a romantic comedy. "So why did you celebrate the year of meeting one another, and not since you started dating?"

There were no implications in my Mother's words, but they were thickly laced with the understanding that she had a pretty good idea of why, and only wanted to hear me say it so she could swoon. My Dad, even though he was accustomed to my boyfriend, was still an overprotective father. My Mom, on the other hand, had utterly adored Jareth ever since he'd danced with her out in our backyard, at Thanksgiving.

I smiled at her and couldn't help but flush pink, "Because, he says, the day that I came into his life is far more important. Had we not met, we definitely couldn't have begun dating, so that had been the start of… everything." Quick save. I had almost said 'the start of our lives together', but a glance at my Dad had prompted me to think of an alternative.

My Mom was almost in tears over how romantic that was, and her attitude was contagious enough that my Dad managed to seem happy for me and sent me off to bed with a quick hug. Not that I would have even noticed had he chosen to yell and scream at me or anything – I was still flying high after my evening.

And the next day went about with much of the same reaction on my part. I was in a constant haze of bliss. I floated everywhere, smiling at the smallest of things, and became desperate to spend as much time with Jareth as possible.

You see, I don't think that even Jareth could have predicted the results that would occur when he gave me the crystal of my dreams – the crystal that had shown me, plainly, that I was in love with him. I hadn't thought there would be much of a change. After all, what was a word like 'love', anyhow? Did it really change anything? After I had realized that I loved him, I figured that no, nothing had changed besides my knowledge of the fact.

But… apparently I was wrong.

I now wanted to spend all my time with him. When I was with him, I had the hardest time keeping my eyes off of him. My fingers sought every opportunity to touch his. It became such a frequent occurrence, to entwine my fingers with his, that sometimes Jareth would even slip off one of his gloves – the sensation from which nearly sent my hear pounding through the roof.

And so, it was with these new thoughts in my head that when lunchtime rolled around that Friday, I went to spend it with him.

He had just dismissed some goblins from the throne room – they appeared to be some guards, from the looks of them – when I arrived, and he was still sitting on his throne, leaning back with his eyes briefly closed. It looked like he'd had some kind of meeting with them, which was, as I well knew, something that tended to stress him out regardless of how much he liked them.

The goblins that were leaving the throne room waved and happily greeted me as they passed, and I couldn't help but smile. The commotion drew Jareth's attention and I looked up in time to see him open his eyes curiously and then smile. His face lit up, his stress seeming to vanish for the time being, and he stood and walked to greet me, his arms open in an invitation I could not pass up.

Gripping the brown paper lunch bag tightly, I skipped across the room and into his arms.

For the life of me, I wasn't sure if Jareth noticed a difference in my behavior. Oh, well, I'm sure he noticed – heck, I suddenly started skipping on a regular basis, how could he not? – but I supposed what I really wondered was if he had any clue as to what had brought about this rather drastic change in my mannerisms.

Regardless of the answer, if he noticed, knew or whatever, he certainly didn't complain.

He swirled me around once before seating himself on his throne with me sitting across his lap. "My dearling," he said in a delighted voice, one of his hands playing with the ends of my hair, "I am surprised to see you so early. What brings you to me?"

I smiled at him, going quite pink, and lifted up my bag, shaking it a little. "Lunch time," I said, "I had the time and I wanted to come see you."

His head tilted to the side just a little and he smiled at me. I couldn't help but notice how his eyes traced my face with a hint of curiosity behind them.

My face, and blush, fell with concern, "Am I disturbing you? I know I've been around quite a lot lately and all that…"

"My dearling, I never mind you coming to visit," he reassured me smoothly as his eyes dropped to my bag, "What are we having for lunch?"

A pang of guilt stabbed me briefly. Coming had been, more or less, an impulsive and unplanned thing. I'd grabbed up my bag to go to find a quiet place to eat lunch, and had suddenly thought about going to see Jareth, instead.

In short, I had lunch for one, not two.

And, as that thought occurred to me, I decided that it sounded flatly selfish to even think such a thought, and I wasn't going to let it bother me. I would share anything with Jareth, regardless of how plain it was, how ridiculous it seemed, or how little I had. I wasn't going to let it bother me.

Unfortunately, though, in my moment of hesitation, Jareth had plucked the bag from my hands and was removing the contents for his inspection. I flushed as he hefted the clear sandwich bag containing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It seemed so… so… _unworthy_.

I was babbling before I could stop myself, "Oh, I know it's cheap and a plain sort of lunch. I'm real sorry about that, but you know I came here on a whim – though I think you guessed that much. Still, I mean, you know me, I wouldn't eat it if it wasn't at least a little appealing, so I think you might like it…"

He shook his head a little absently as he removed his gloves (to my surprise), "No, you needn't worry – I had not been expecting you, and took my noon meal almost an hour ago." The confusion on my face was plain, and he caught it right away, "The 'we' was a courtesy, my sweet, nothing more. Had I known you would be here, I most surely would have arranged for a tray to compliment what you, yourself, brought."

"But, then," I motioned to his actions of retrieving the contents of my bag, "What's with this? You don't have to-" I made to reach out and take the bag – or at least the pitiful sandwich – back, but he quickly snatched the items up in his long fingers and held them out of my reach, a mischievous grin on his lips.

"I may not be hungry," his finger tips crinkled the bag slightly, "But what would possibly make you think that I am not interested?"

My hand, which had still been outstretched, fell. "Interested in what?" I asked, completely bewildered.

"In lunch," he said, as if the answer was obvious, "And in you… always in you…" he balanced the bag in one hand and pulled out a crystal with the other which, with a snap of his fingers, became a small, flat tray which he rested across my lap. My hand reached out to try to assist him but each time he shooed my hands away. I was helpless to watch.

Deftly, Jareth removed the contents of my lunch bag and set then out on the tray: peanut butter and jelly sandwich, red apple slices, and a snack bag of Wheat Thins. Each of them, except perhaps the apple, seemed so very out of place in the presence of the Goblin King. He considered the food before us on the tray and began to start with the sandwich. His long, slender fingers nimbly dissected the sandwich into small, bite-sized pieces.

I still felt rather clueless as to what the heck he was up to, or why he had decided to mutilate my poor sandwich, pitiful though it may be. I opened my mouth to protest, but the instant that my lips parted, long fingers popped a piece between them. My eyes went wide and Jareth gave me a very innocent face. Each time I moved to say something, some other small bit of food was fed to me. When I reached out my hands to do anything, they were shooed away. And, all the while, Jareth watched me, talking idly about his day and things that were going on. It was so _innocent_ that I found it terribly hard to be upset with him.

As he fed me, I couldn't help but begin to notice when his fingers began to _linger_. It's hard to explain… he would lift a bit of apple to my mouth and I'd accept it, and his finger tips would rest a moment on my lips. Then they began to drag at them slightly. Was this on purpose? Or was he just not paying attention as he spoke to me? I didn't know, and his face, innocent as ever, didn't give me any clue.

Well, I thought, if he wants to play it like that, to tease me with my own lunch, and refuse to let me do anything with my hands at all, then fine. It may be his game, but two could certainly play it.

The innocent look was banished by shock when I overshot an apple slice, my lips sliding over the tip of his finger, slowly. He blinked and his voice faltered. I gave him my own innocent look.

A wicked gleam entered his eyes as he offered me another bit of sandwich – the last bit, actually. I nipped gently at the end of his thumb as I took it from him. I turned my eyes to the tray and felt somewhat saddened that it was gone. Surprised, too – it seemed to have gone quicker when it was Jareth feeding me, rather than myself.

I chewed slowly, wiping the corners of my mouth with my fingers as I did so. I swallowed and started to say something, but again, I was cut off.

"You know, I believe I have changed my mind," he said in an amused whisper, "I think I would like to try some…"

I looked at the empty tray, confused. The food was gone and, as I looked, the tray vanished. "What are you talking about – _mmpf_!"

Jareth's mouth was on mine before I could say another word.

I melted. His lips, so warm and inviting, were all that was needed to disconnect my brain from my body. My thoughts were gone and I was floating, but my arms were suddenly around his neck, my hands in his hair. Distantly, I noted that he was holding me close, his hands tracing my spine and shoulder blades.

He pulled away once, just a few inches, but his hold on me did not budge. I was breathless as he rubbed his nose against mine, and then kissed me again, this time slower and softer.

It was about this point when we were discovered. Jareth had neglected to mention that he'd been expecting guests, and that one said guest was notorious for arriving early.

So, now, back to the two specific reasons why I was embarrassed. First of all, I had been caught making out with my boyfriend in a rather embarrassing place – his throne room, on his throne, no less. Second… well, there are certain people that have caught Jareth and I kissing before, and people that I don't mind. Jareth's goblins, for example, are some that I don't mind walking in on us, I guess because regardless of the situation, they seem to like me, and are always happy to see their king smile. And there are others that wouldn't bother me, like Orla. Oh, sure, that would be a little embarrassing, but her face would amuse me to no end, I'm sure.

But on the flip side, there are at least a handful of people that make me want to hide when I think about them finding me and Jareth together. Most of these people are Jareth's formal acquaintances of the Underground, including his friends.

And so, when Myanya of Milburga came through the stone archway into Jareth's throne room and recognized me while I sat, happily, kissing the King on his throne, I was mortified. Falling off the throne had been minor in comparison, though it certainly didn't make the situation any better.

"Wren?" she asked again, the delight now crystal clear in her tone, "Is that you?"

I was beyond speech. This was a royal thing – Myanya arriving – and I had just barged in, mussed up the King's hair, and made him late. Or something. My brain was whirling and I was having difficulty putting rational thoughts together.

Thank goodness that Jareth was better at handling awkward situations than I was. On his feet, calm and collected as ever, he quickly slipped his gloves back on and moved to greet his friend.

"Myanya," he said, courteously, "Welcome! You are early, I was not expecting you for another hour at the least…"

I looked up to see Myanya now facing Jareth, but still flicking the occasional glance at me, "I apologize. I was too pleased with the idea of coming to see you, I was unable to wait any longer. It has been nearly a century since I had been able to come here for a decent visit!"

I gave a silent prayer of thanks that she hadn't pointed out the fact that it was so danged obvious that Jareth hadn't been expecting her, seeing as how she'd walked in on him sucking his girlfriend's face off.

"And Wren," Jareth said, his voice taking on a softer, if still diplomatic, tone, "You remember Myanya, Countess of Milburga, do you not?"

I could not move, and I think Jareth understood that. His hands carefully reached into my line of sight (I was still staring at my toes in humiliation), taking my hands so I had to look up into his face. His face was a little pink in hue, and it made me feel a little better. I wasn't the only one to be embarrassed.

I swallowed and faced Myanya, "Yes, of course I remember…"

"If you did not," she said while approaching me, her arms open to embrace me, "I would be simply devastated! I am delighted to have you here when I arrived, Wren," she enfolded me in a hug (I was stunned, to say the least, only having met her less than a handful of times) that was both firm in purpose and light to the touch. Delicate was the best word to describe her.

She was as beautiful as ever. Her dark wavy hair had been pinned up in curls and wrapped with exquisitely refined lace that hung down behind her. A few curls spiraled around her pale and slightly pink features. She wore a dress of a deep rose color that was accented with the same fine lace, and across her shoulders she wore a pale cream traveling cloak. So elegant, so regal, and ever the lady.

I hugged her back, trying to be as graceful as she was. I think I failed, but she was gracious not to notice.

Pulling back, she looked at me and said, in her soft and musical voice, "What brings you here today, Wren?"

"Oh, well," I motioned to Jareth, "I just stopped by for lunch…"

Her eyes widened every so slightly and she turned them to Jareth. "Lunch?" she asked, innocently. Jareth paled just a little (I know, it doesn't seem possible for him to get paler, right?) and I think I saw his chest sink inward. It took a few minutes to connect the dots on the joke – when I did, I winced.

"Wren brought her lunch," he said very quickly.

Myanya giggled, her voice like tinkling bells, and reached up to smack Jareth playfully on the cheek, "Oh, Jareth, I know as much. I adore watching you blush so, please do not mind my fun." The last of her comment seemed to be directed more to me than it was to Jareth.

He was more than happy to change subjects. "Mya," he said, looking around, "Is Dyer to be joining you?"

She shook her head, "I am afraid not. Pressing matters elsewhere demanded his attention, so he entrusted the new trade agreement to me. We are pleased with how things are, and it only really needs to be renewed and signed," she produced a scroll with a seal on it from a pocked in her cloak, "And this gives me Dyer's rights of signature for this treaty, if you are willing to accept it."

Jareth nodded, took the scroll and vanished it, "Of course I am, but you misunderstand me. I was referring more to your escort than anything else. Last I knew, Dyer was not very pleased at leaving you to travel alone."

It was Myanya's turn to blush, her pale and slightly pointed ears turning a deep rose pink at the tips. She turned her head downward slightly, "Oh, he still feels that way, perhaps even more than he did formerly. But he is not so worried for me – I secured an escort who is more than adequate. My brother joins me in my husband's stead."

My ears perked up at mention of Tillan.

"Ah," Jareth began, smiling, "I am glad to have him. But again…" he looked around, "Where is he?"

Myanya grinned, showing off her pearly teeth, "He arrived with me but left for a short while to attend to some business of his own, Aboveground actually," she looked at me, "Tillan will be very pleased to know you are here, Wren."

"Oh," I suddenly thought of the time and glanced at my watch, "Actually, I can't stay, I need to get back to work…"

Myanya nodded, "Perhaps you will join us later, then?"

Jareth cleared his throat, "Wren, we will be dining tonight – very informally, of course – and you are more than welcome to join us after work."

I smiled, "I'd like that – I'll be a bit, though, because I have to go take care of some stuff after work today." I had to go see Ms. Flemming about getting my scheduled fixed. I figured that, when that was over, I would be looking for a nice escape Underground.

"Until then, Wren," Myanya said, inclining her head to me and striding from the room.

The moment she was gone, I whirled on Jareth, wanting to say something snarky, wanting some way to expel my frustration and embarrassment, but was unable to do so. He was watching me with the most uncharacteristic look on his face – like a young teenager who, though they had just been caught doing something they shouldn't have been, was completely unashamed. A slightly lopsided and somewhat lazy smile made me lose my train of thought, and before I could think of something else to say, he spoke.

"Must you leave so soon?" he asked in a lighthearted tone that matched his face.

My heart melted and whatever I had thought to say just evaporated.

"Yeah," I said, lamely, "Hafta get back to work and all that… but I'll see you again tonight."

"You are no fun, Wren," he said, scooping me up in his arms and kissing me soundly one last time before I went back to work.

* * *

Five o'clock couldn't have come sooner, I tell you. Now, not only was I anxious to get my appointment with Ms. Flemming over and done with, but I was also dying to go to dinner – and see Jareth again.

Good gracious, I was so in love with that man. Fae. Whatever.

As soon as my shift was done, I grabbed up my stuff and hurried as fast as I could to her office. I waved to Janice, the secretary, as I passed. She couldn't say anything because she was on a call and writing something down as she did so, but she did manage to spare a hand to wave to me quickly in greeting.

I almost didn't recognize Ms. Flemming's office door, because the name tag was back, but I didn't really look at it. Her door was open anyway, and I heard her talking on the phone with someone inside. I peeked my head in, hoping she remembered, and silently berated myself for not calling to double check that everything would be ready when I came.

Frankly, I wasn't sure why I needed to meet with her again at all. I never had needed to do it before with my usual counselor. Perhaps she was just a thorough person. It was probably a precautionary thing.

She was wearing a red business suit this time with her short, dark hair gelled and curled to perfection, as if anything less was completely unacceptable. She looked slightly irritated, and was tapping her manicured nails on her keyboard tray, noisily.

"Honestly, kid," she was saying, "When have I led you wrong? All I'm asking is that you check them for me. That's it, just check and, well, if there's a call in regards to Saturday night, you can take care of it. You'll thank me later, alright?" she looked up, spotted me, and quickly smiled and sat up in her chair, "I'm sorry, I have an appointment that's here, and I'll talk to you later. Bye," she hung up the receiver quickly and then faced me with her full smile, "Hello Wren, I'm glad you made it on time!"

I smiled back, "So am I. Erm," I looked at the phone, "Did I interrupt something important?"

She shook her head and waved a hand dismissively, "No, just asking a few favors from members of my family before I leave on vacation. I apologize for that taking up time-"

"No time at all," I said, quickly.

She nodded and turned to her computer, her immaculate nails clicking the keys loudly, making it sound to be much more furious an action than it truly was. After a brief run down on my account, making sure my balance was back to where I'd left it and the class I had originally planned to take was back on my schedule, I thought of a strange question.

"Did you ever find out who screwed up my account?" I asked while she made a few notes in the system.

Her eyes flashed away from the monitor to meet mine for just an instant before her face went a little pink. "I was hoping you wouldn't ask that," she muttered absently.

I tilted my head to the side, "Why?"

She finished making her note, then removed her glasses and faced me, looking very sheepish.

"Because," she said, her cheeks burning, "It's a very stupid thing – I swear, you won't believe it – and when all is said and done… _I'm_ the one who owes you an apology."

I snorted, "You? You're kidding. Seriously, what's the deal?"

She sighed and hid her face briefly behind one hand. "I am serious – I'm so sorry."

Her tone made me worry, as though she'd really committed a grievous sin against me. My words came out somewhat breathy as I asked, "What did you do?"

Ms. Flemming laughed suddenly, "It's just so _dumb_," she sighed, "Your IRN number is only a few digits off from a student I recently received – who happens to be in the Nursing program the College offers. I… I just pulled up the IRN from my files, didn't bother to check the name, my fingers slipped and there was your account."

With a sigh, she stood and moved to stand by her filing cabinet. "It was my fault, Wren," she said, her voice completely serious. "I'm so very sorry for the trouble I caused you."

I heaved a sigh of relief and leaned back in the chair, looking at the ceiling. I doubted Ms. Flemming would understand how good I felt, knowing that there was a logical and understandable explanation behind the problem. The idea that someone had just scheduled me for a random class was… unnerving. It made me feel like my account wasn't safe – but that wasn't the case. I knew full well that I had gotten numbers wrong a time or two in my job. It was a natural thing to happen, even if a little odd that two IRN's could be so similar.

"I'm relieved," I said with a slight laugh, "And I'm glad you could fix it. No harm, no foul. Don't feel bad about it."

She smiled at me and opened up a drawer in her filing cabinet. "Actually," she said, "I have a way to make it up to you…"

"No, that's not necessary-"

"Oh, don't think of it as a gift or anything," she rifled through the cabinet, retrieving an envelope, "You would actually be doing me a favor."

She handed me the envelope. I opened it, pulling out from within two thin slips of stiff paper that I eyed warily. "What kind of favor?" I asked.

She shrugged, "I got these tickets from a friend before I realized that I'd be out of town this weekend. Concert tickets," she clarified when I still looked puzzled, "and I don't want to see them go to waste."

I turned the slips around so I could read them properly. Two tickets to a private showing of a group called _Siren Song_. "I've heard of this group," I said, trying to recall where I'd heard the name fairly recently, "Are they any good?"

She shrugged, "You'll have to tell me. From what I hear, they're not exactly my style, but they got somewhat dumped in my lap so I didn't want them to go to waste." She smiled, "You can take your sweetie. You're still with him, right?"

I blushed, "Yes… yes I am." I tried, but I couldn't hide the gleeful smile from my face.

Ms. Flemming gave a faint smile in return, "Just don't waste them, okay? I mean that – I want you to go and enjoy the show – I guess it's at some sort of smaller club or something, not a major venue, and they're a new group, but they're really good, from what I've been told. My friend is crazy about them."

"So why didn't your friend want to keep them?"

She shrugged again, "Date cancelled, I think, but I'm not all that sure as to the reasons why. Anyhow, promise me you'll go and have a good time? Saturday night, seven thirty to nine or so…"

I hefted the tickets in my hands. They seemed almost heavy, though I wasn't sure why. They were just cardstock, nothing special, but there was just something so ominous about accepting them – I assumed it was because I flatly didn't now Ms. Flemming very well at all. Heck, I didn't even know her first name. But, at the same time, I understood what she meant about wanting them to be enjoyed – I felt the same way. It was too much of a good opportunity to just throw away and let it go to waste.

A new band, a trendy club – for all I knew, this one night could change my entire life. Why would I want to pass that up?

I smiled at her, "I promise, I'll make sure these get used, and used well."

Her face turned serious, and she almost lunged for the small pad of post-it notes on her desk, "I'm serious, Wren," she said, scribbling on her pad, "I made a promise, too, with those tickets, okay? If you can't use one or both, call my phone and leave me a message, and I'll find someone else to take care of it. Here is my number," she handed the sticky note to me.

I took it with a shrug, placing it and the tickets into the envelope, "Sure, I'll call if I can't use them."

She sighed with relief, "Oh, thank you. That was the last thing I needed to take care of before I left."

I stood and started to move towards the door, "Big vacation? Sounds like fun."

She smiled, genuinely smiled, "I've been waiting for this trip for a long time. Took me forever to set it up, to get everything timed just right," she eyed me sadly, "Well, almost right. It's as right as it will ever get, I suppose. Serves me right for waiting so long…"

She noticed the strange expression that must have been on my face and smiled, "Travel when you're young, Wren. Do it before you get old and tied down with life."

"Ah," I nodded in understanding. I had an aunt who always told me the same thing, whenever I saw her. "I'll do that too. So, everything worked out and ready to go – where are you going that's so big, anyway? I'm really curious, now."

Her eyes went huge and she swallowed nervously, "Down under!" her voice came out high pitched.

"Whoa," I breathed, "Australia! That is big! I would be nervous, too – what's the flight time, twelve hours or something?"

She shrugged, "Something like that."

There was a slightly awkward pause between us, and I realized that hey, I didn't know her well, and dang, my curiosity was just probing farther and farther into what would generally be considered to be 'friends-only' territory. I cleared my throat.

"Well, have fun and travel safe there," I said, extending my hand to her.

She shook it, her hand trembling slightly, "Thanks… I appreciate the well wishes."

I hurried out of the office, thanking her again for the assistance and the awesome tickets, and skipped away, thinking only of Jareth and dinner. I couldn't wait.

* * *

Life was against me. Of course, it only turns against me when I'm terribly excited over something – like getting free super-awesome concert tickets. Before I could just go to dinner, I had to drive home and put my things away, let my parents know I was heading out with Jareth (only so they wouldn't worry if it was a long time before I emerged from my room, or something like that – I was lucky enough as it was that they'd never come into my room when I'd disappeared for hours on end), and then leave.

But, like I said, life was out to get me. Traffic was a bear – to put it lightly. Three traffic accidents on the surface streets made the freeway come almost to a screeching halt – and that was usually my quickest way home. I had to take a long detour through winding side streets to get to a major road that _wasn't _blocked, and even then, I came within a foot of hitting a biker who had swerved in front of me while I had driven through a residential area.

Grand total, it was an hour and a half before I got home. I was furious – the only thing that kept me sane was the thought of seeing Jareth again, relatively soon. I pulled in the driveway, ran inside my house, gave my parents a perfunctory greeting, and hurried to my room.

Had the paper not been stiff enough to make a noise when my purse landed on it, I don't think I would have noticed it at all.

As it was, though, the crackle of stiff parchment got my attention almost as well as glitter did (nowadays, at least). I yanked it from beneath my bag and examined it, carefully. I frowned, seeing that it was a note from Jareth.

_Dearling,_

_It is with sincerest apologies that I inform you that dinner tonight has been, regrettably, cancelled. I am so sorry._

_I will come visit you later tonight, if you would like. _

_Until then,_

_Jareth_

Talk about popping my bubble. Not only was dinner cancelled, but I now had to wait several hours before seeing Jareth again. I'd been looking forward to dinner with Jareth and his friends – it was always interesting with Tillan around.

My frown deepend as I reread the note. Why was dinner cancelled? What, did Myanya just decided she didn't feel like eating? Did the kitchen goblins go on strike? What the heck? Jareth knew I was inherently curious about everything, so what was with the lack of an explanation?

Feeling low, I crawled onto my bed, sniffling and crying just a little bit, and went to sleep.

* * *

The faint scent of leather woke me. There was a glove on my shoulder that shook me gently, prodding me into consciousness. Groggily, I pushed myself off the pillow and looked around. Jareth was sitting beside me on the bed, his face light and neutral – that is, until he saw mine.

Apparently, I'd cried a little more than I'd remembered. Not enough to make me all gooey with snot or anything, but just enough to make my eyes puffy. Jareth noticed it right away, and his face fell to concern.

"Wren," he said, worried, "What has happened? What is wrong? Are you well?"

My spiteful side took over and, before I was really aware of it, I had taken hold of one of my sham pillows and thumped him over the head with it. Then, feeling vindicated, I flopped back down on my bed and curled up with my fleece blanket, watching his reaction.

He was shocked, to say the least. He ran a hand through his hair and gave me an incredulous look… but it quickly softened and he resigned himself to a sigh. "I asked for that, I know."

"Dang straight you did," I said, my voice thick from sleep.

"I am sorry for the cancellation, Wren."

I frowned and looked away, "But you can't even tell me why? You know I was looking forward to seeing you and your friends at dinner. Made me happy all day, just thinking about it. Then on the way home I go through utter crap, just to find a 'so sorry' note on my bed that doesn't even tell me why?"

He sighed again and rubbed my arm, gently, "The best thing I could do was apologize, Wren. A long boring explanation about how I had to quiet problems on the outsides of my Labyrinth, due to some creatures entering it without my permission – would you really have enjoyed reading that?"

I huffed a frustrated sigh, "No, but it would have been better than the feeling that my invitation was simply revoked."

He pulled me up and into his arms. I sighed against his chest while he stroked my hair. Sometimes it seemed that no matter how angry or upset I was, things were better when I was in his arms – even when it was _him_ I was angry at.

"Truly, my Wren," he said softly, "I am sorry. I do not think that I can fully express that. Words are all I have that would be of meaning, and yet they are not quite enough."

I sat silently for a moment, and my brain thought of the tickets I'd acquired earlier that day. "I have a way you could make it up to me, if you're interested."

He laughed lightly, "Anything, my dearling."

I pulled away and scrambled for my bag, retrieving the envelope and the tickets held within. I held them out to him, excitedly. "I got these today!"

Jareth snatched the envelope from me and peered inside. "Stiff rectangles of paper?"

I blinked and shook my head slowly. "No… Concert tickets. They're for Saturday night – want to go with me?"

"Of course."

I squealed and threw myself at his midsection, succeeding in knocking us both off the bed to land in a pile on the floor.

* * *

I was humming loudly and dancing around my room to the _Adam F Remix_ of David Bowie's _Telling Lies_. It's much bouncier than the original, and is, for whatever reason, one of my favorite songs. But, that's really beside the point.

I was killing time. It was Saturday afternoon, I was going to an exciting concert at a posh club with the hottest boyfriend any girl could ask for, and in just under four hours. I was basically dressed, my hair done, I was all ready… but I was way early – the result of being overexcited about going. So, it was now up to me to kill time until Jareth arrived to go with me.

And, being the ultimate dork that I am, this consisted of listening to David Bowie songs and dancing around my room.

Naturally, I didn't expect for anyone to burst in on me.

"_How did you – _oh."

"Eeeyaah!" I hollered, whirling around and facing the intruder.

Orla stood in my door way, her golden hair looking a little windblown and her cheeks a little red from, I assumed, the heat outside. She was giving me a very perplexed look.

"Don't you EVER knock??" I hissed at her, furiously, my face crimson.

She blinked, nonplussed. "Were you dancing around your room?"

I glared at her, evilly, "And what's it to you? This is my room, the house I live in, my music and my stereo. Go away."

She shook her head, "No, I came here for a purpose – you distracted me."

I rolled my eyes, "Oh, well, pardon me. Next time I'll think to ask ahead if my dancing might interfere with your thought processes."

She ignored my snide remark. "How did you get Siren Song tickets?"

I smiled tightly, "I got them from a friend. Why?"

She gave me a sheepish look, "I… I heard from Mom and…I wondered if you needed someone to go with you."

I gave her a slow look, "I have a boyfriend, thank you."

"So Jareth will be taking you?"

"Yes, he will – is there a point to this interrogation, Orla?" I sighed, impatiently.

I watched as my sister gave me a highly immature pouty face. "I've been dying to see Ayden Florie, I wanted to see him so badly…"

"Who's Hayden Ferry?"

Her face went completely serious. For once, I could see a sort of resemblance between Orla and me – I recognized that face. It was the same face I made when someone didn't know who David Bowie was. She frowned, "_Ayden Florie_," she clarified, "He's the lead guitarist and main vocals for Siren Song. He's… oh, Wren, he's _gorgeous_!"

I twisted my face and gave her a suspicious look, "From what I gather of them, they're not a very big group… and aren't they a little soft for your taste? Why do you like them?"

She snorted, "Did you not just hear me? Ayden's gorgeous!"

I rolled my eyes and turned away from her, "Orla… do you ever think about anything besides nice looking men?"

Bad thing to say. No, it didn't offend Orla, as it might have a normal person, but it instead seemed to open what she would consider the gate to a girly conversation with her little sister. She looked delighted and hurried to enter into my room.

Briefly, she looked around for a place to sit, and started to squat on my beanbag chair.

"Oh, no you don't!" I all but shouted, snatching her by the wrist and flinging her on to my bed, instead. I wasn't about to let her sit there. That spot was reserved.

Orla fell face down on my comforter and sat up looking ridiculously miffed. "What the heck was that??" she sputtered.

I sniffed, "My beanbag chair."

She glowered at me but seemed to want to change the subject away from my strange possessiveness. "As I was going to say," she enunciated while sitting up and brushing her hair out of her eyes, "You are one to talk, Wren. You have a gorgeous hottie for a boyfriend, if you haven't noticed, so who are you to lecture me on men?"

I glared at her, "I didn't _pick_ Jareth, thank you very much, _he_ picked _me_. I admit, I had a crush on him, but I wasn't out to get him. You on the other hand… it's like you're on a man hunt - it's all you think about!"

She scoffed. Hmm. Perhaps my words were irritating her, after all. "I am not on a man hunt, and I think about plenty of other things!"

I leaned towards her, "Oh, really? Tell me, Orla, what was the last book you read?"

"I don't have a lot of time to read, Wren," she countered quickly.

"Oh, bah! I read any time I have a spare moment. Before I go to bed, on Sunday afternoons, or even when I'm at work."

"I'm a masseuse," she said, her cheeks going pink, "I work in a massage parlor. How would that work, Wren? Would I just lay the book on their back while I rub their shoulders?"

"_When you're on break, you ninny_!" I hissed at her, starting to laugh a little. "Dude, Orla, rather than go chase boys until you break your neck in those three inch heels you always wear, why not go read a book for a change?"

She stood up in a dramatic huff, "I didn't come here to fight with you."

I sighed, "Then you shouldn't have come," I couldn't deny the slight sadness in my voice, "Because we always fight, you and I."

Orla didn't say anything to that, she just walked out. Whatever.

* * *

After a row, I always get moody. Sorry, Bowie, but I just couldn't listen to music after Orla left. I was feeling rather sad, and, subsequently, I was angry. Orla had put a cloud over my evening. She'd tainted it. And, as cruel as my final words to her had been, they were true – she and I always fight, and if she had just not come, it wouldn't have tainted my evening.

I morosely sat on my bed, at first, waiting for Jareth to come. At that point, I wasn't merely looking forward to seeing him because I missed him, but also I was seeking the comfort that would come with his arms. It wasn't more than five minutes before I realized that if I was really feeling that lousy, I could go see him.

With a smile, I counted my crystals.

Do you know that feeling you get when you've reached the landing on the stairs sooner than you were expecting? That abrupt jolt when your foot starts to step up and there isn't anything there, so your foot kinda falls and, if you're like me, you stagger forward? Or, frankly, any feeling where your body is expecting movement and the movement doesn't happen? This was worse. There was this horrible sort of lurch and it made me nauseated. I swayed and lay back on my bed so I wouldn't fall over. I was so accustomed to the familiar swirl of going Underground that when nothing happened, my body reacted almost violently.

Or… had it started to happen? Was that why it felt so strange? Had I begun to go Underground and then been sent back when I was halfway there?

The more I thought about it, the more I was sure that I had been magically rerouted, so to speak; sent halfway to Jareth's castle and then redirected to my room again. The feeling was sickening.

It had to be a mistake. Maybe because I had been sitting down. Yes, I said to myself, that was it. Stand up and try again.

The second count had me on my hands and knees, my stomach churning as if I had the flu. My eyes watered and my forehead had broken out with a sheen of sweat. Trembling, I fumbled my way up onto my bed where I curled up in the fetal position and waited for Jareth. There was a glitch with my ring, and I wasn't about to try magical transportation on my own, again, until it was fixed.

I didn't have very long to wait, thank goodness. I think he must have noticed that I had tried to come and failed, for five minutes after the fact, he appeared before me looking agitated, but worried for me.

"Wren…" he looked at me, an odd look on his face. He seemed like he didn't know what to say.

Remaining in my position on the bed, I held my hand out to him, displaying the ring, "It's not working, something's gone wrong."

Hesitantly, he sat beside me on the bed and reached out a hand to pat me on my hip. "Are you alright? That… I am sorry, I did not realize…"

"I feel sick to my stomach, but I'm okay," I sighed, placing my hand on his, "But… wait, what didn't you realize?"

He heaved a strained sigh, one that I was not accustomed to hearing come from him. "I did not realize that you would try to come, tonight."

I froze and sat up, feeling… shocked. "You knew? You knew I wouldn't be able to come to you? It was… _deliberate_?" There was an ache in my chest, like I'd been stabbed. If given the choice between the two, I think I would have much rather felt the nausea again.

He raised a hand to try and forestall my panic and/or furious comments, "It was a preventative measure, I was thinking of your best interest-"

"_Best interest?_" I was fuming, now, "I was on my _hands_ and _knees_, trying by best to keep from puking my guts out! Tell me, how is that in my best interest?"

He turned away from me and balled his fists at his thighs, "I had more… _unexpected_ guests, Wren. Trust me when I tell you that you would not want to meet them, and that the only reason why they are still in my castle at this very moment is because tradition demands I show them courtesy."

I didn't give a crap. He could have just as easily have caught my arm once I was actually there and taken me right back home, no dry heaving necessary.

I sat there, silently watching his face, which was still staring at the wall and not at me. Just like I had had the sinking feeling of being rerouted – which I then knew was true – I had the feeling that Jareth knew that banning me was unnecessary. He knew it, I could see it in his eyes, and it hurt me even more.

But, even so, I was willing to try and get past it. I was willing to still go to the concert…

Oh, but if he had special guests that he did not want or trust in his castle, he wouldn't be able to go, would he? I was human, not born yesterday. I looked at his appearance. Formal vest and frilled shirt, ornately woven breeches, fine gloves, shiny boots. He was dressed for guests in his castle, not for going with me to an Aboveground concert. I felt highly stupid.

"You can't go, can you?"

His head drooped, "I cannot."

I stood and faced him formally, too irritated at him to show much emotion on the issue and also not willing to cry over this tonight. "Then you had better get back. You don't want to leave your guests unsupervised."

"You do not know how true that statement is," he stood and faced me, looking very awkward and highly distressed. "Please forgive me, Wren. I have been beyond rude to you in the last few days, and that never has been my intention. I…"

My expression softened, a small wave of guilt pouring over me as I saw the pain in his features. "Go," I whispered, "You need to get back. I'll be alright."

He smiled, sadly. With a touch to my ring, he sighed, "I will trust you not to come – I swear that I will explain to you why, someday – but… it will not make you ill again. I swear it."

With a swift touch to his cheek I thanked him softly and stepped back as he vanished. Then, I sighed heavily. I'd burned a bridge with Orla tonight and, spare ticket or no, she wouldn't answer my call; I knew her well enough to know that. I swiped up my cell phone and pulled out the envelope with the Siren Song tickets, retrieving the post it note that was stuck inside.

I was almost certain that I could probably find someone to come with me… but now, I'd rather be alone, so I had a ticket to dispose of.

I punched the number in and hit 'send'. After a minute, I heard it go directly to voice mail. There was no recorded message, just an aloof female voice that asked me to leave a message at the tone.

"Hello Ms. Flemming, this is Wren from the college," I felt the exasperation in my voice. There was nothing I could do to hide it. "I'm sorry, but my date cancelled on me and… well, I can't get anyone else to go with me, so late in the game. I'm… well, I'm going to head on down to the shopping area near the club and I'll have the spare ticket with me, so if you know of someone who would like it, tell them to look for me… erm…" I looked around my room, then down at the frilly blue skirt and blouse set that I'd chosen to wear. "I'll be the short one in the blue dress. But please call me and let me know so I will know to look for them, too. Thanks."

* * *

The strip mall was crowded and I was getting annoyed. Why had I chosen to come kill time there? The concert venue was just down the street, and I was early – I hadn't wanted to stay at home – so I made my way through the shops, looking at nothing in particular, while fighting the crowds. How was it possible for so many people to be in one place? It was nuts! Seriously.

Twenty minutes there, and about twenty minutes left to go, I gave up on trying to maneuver the shops. I wasn't ready to head into the concert just yet, still holding onto the idea that perhaps Ms. Flemming would send someone for the extra ticket I had, so I seated myself on a bench and waited. It was warm, but the bench beneath me felt cool through the fabric of my dress. I absently toyed with the ruffled skirt. I liked this dress very much, one of my favorites. I had been looking forward to wearing it with Jareth, because I knew he liked that shade of blue on me. Now it was rather pitiful seeming, and I began to wish that I had worn jeans instead, even if it wasn't the most appropriate attire for the concert.

Someone seated themselves on the other end of the bench and I, as I usually do in such a situation, carefully scooted farther from them, but didn't look up. I fidgeted with my bag clasp and looked at my watch again. Fifteen minutes to go. Five more minutes, and I would head down to the venue.

"So, what's a pretty lady like you doing out alone tonight?" said a deeper set voice from beside me. I winced and stiffened – the person was now talking to me. My night was about to get worse, I could feel it.

"Shopping," I said, now determined not to make eye contact, "And waiting for my boyfriend to come. He's going to meet me here any minute…"

"Oh," the voice lightened, sounding terribly disappointed. "You waiting for Jareth?"

I started and looked up sharply at the person next to me. I gasped and clutched my purse to my chest in sheer shock. I started to say something, but whatever that something had been died the instant that I recognized the face of the person who had seated himself beside me.

"T.J.!" the name burst from my lips, my voice terribly high pitched, "You scared the crap out of me!"

He was wearing jeans and a buttoned down shirt with his slightly curly hair tumbling about his ears as usual, though it seemed to be _styled_, as though he had used gel or something. There was something else about his presence that seemed to be missing, but at the moment, I wasn't really concerned about it. I was currently still trying to calm my heartbeat.

T.J. grinned at me and nudged my arm, "Hey, calm down. Who did you think I was, anyway?"

I scoffed, "Oh, I don't know, how about some pervert out on a Saturday night, looking for a cheap thrill?"

He laughed and looked at me, "But what have you to worry about? You said Jareth was coming, anyway, right? He's a big guy – well, tall, at least – and I'm sure he could scare off any pervs out to harass you."

"I just said that," I said, then swallowed, my voice wavering every so slightly, "Because I thought you were… someone else."

He raised his eyebrows at me, "So you're not out tonight with Jareth?"

I shook my head, "No, I'm not. He couldn't make it, so I'm here on my own."

T.J. gave me an exaggerated wicked sort of smile, "Well, he's nuts to let you out of his sight. You never know when you'll run into a wild man, out to steal you away."

"Ha-ha," I said, dryly, shoving his arm. "Why are you out here, anyway?"

He pulled a face and raised an eyebrow, as if the answer were obvious, "The Siren Song concert _is_ tonight, right?"

My mouth fell. _That's _where I had heard the name before! T.J. had asked me to go to this concert! Oh, gosh… and now I was there, when I told him I wouldn't go, and Jareth couldn't be here with me… this wasn't going well.

I went bright red, "Oh, dear me… I forgot you had tickets to it, too! I…"

"Well, I did," he said, interrupting me, "But I'm here actually looking for a scalper, now."

I frowned, "What happened to your tickets?"

He shrugged, "Plans had come up for me, and I knew I wouldn't be able to make it tonight, so I passed them off, but then my plans got cancelled. I had wanted to see the show, so I came down here to see if someone had a spare, willing to sell it off or something."

I looked at my watch – it was time to head down to the venue for the show, and no one else had shown for it… I looked back at T.J., "Ironically, I now have a spare… would you like it?"

His face brightened, but it faded as he regarded the expression that must have been on my own face. "Well, don't be so morose about it… if you don't want me to have it, I won't take it – seriously, I'll survive."

I shook my head, "No, T.J., please – I promised the lady who pawned them off on me that I would make sure they got used, and…" what else could I say? I felt so utterly pathetic. Seriously. I had turned him down for this same concert, and now I was asking him to go? "… I think it'd be a real shame to see it go to waste. Please?"

His smile softened and as he looked forward, he still kept his eyes on me in a sideways glance, "Well, only because you asked so nicely…" he stood and held a hand to me, "Shall we?"

I took his hand and did my best to smile, trying my hardest to ignore the guilty, sinking feeling in my stomach.

* * *

The venue was not what I thought it would be, nor was Siren Song. I don't know… because T.J. liked their music, I assumed that they would be more of a rock band or something, because that seemed like his style of music. I was nearly stunned to see that they were more of a modern cross of jazz and soft rock. They were on a small dias to serve as a stage in a large room, but it was all much smaller than I figured it would be. This seemed like a private lounge, not a big hall for a large band. Idly, I wondered where the heck Orla had heard of the group…

We sat beside each other at a small table – meant to be just for drinks, I assumed – facing the dias, about three tables from the front – good seats, I noted. The place was very nice, and I liked the softer feel of the atmosphere. When the show began, it picked up more than I had figured it would, and it was good music. Against my better judgement, I enjoyed their music.

I did my best to focus on the show, and not on my companion, and not on the chewing feeling in my gut that made me feel like I was cheating on my boyfriend.

* * *

"How did you get into them?" I asked T.J., as we ate. He had insisted on taking me down the street to a burger place in exchange for me giving him my spare ticket. I had protested terribly, insisting that I had gotten the tickets for free anyhow, so it was no big deal, but he reasoned that we were both hungry anyway, so we might as well go eat together so we could talk more about the show. He was good at coercion – I eventually caved.

He chewed on a fry. "I always seem to find the odd," he said, after he had swallowed, "You have to admit they're not your typical mainstream sort of group."

I nodded and picked some more at my salad, "Very true. Of course, I'm used to listening to David Bowie's stuff, so I'm used to things that break the mold."

T.J. nodded with a smile on his face. "I heard them on an odd radio station about a year ago and had to find more of their stuff. I thought it was awesome that they incorporate myth and legends in their lyrics."

"You're into myths and such?"

He shrugged, "Anything along those lines. I love anything out-of-this-world."

I grinned and sipped at my soda, "I know how that goes. I blame Disney – they got me addicted to fairies and magical things a long time ago."

He waved a hand at me and scoffed, "Disney? Oh, that's just watered down!"

I glared, "Watered down? They're classics!"

T.J. started laughing, "Classics? Ha! They're far from the truth!"

With my own personal joke I snickered, "And what would you know about the truth of magical things?"

He sobered and sighed, "I told you, I find odd things. I've always been drawn to magic things," he slurped down some of his soft drink, "Even my, well…" he touched his left ear briefly then shrugged, "Well, the stud I usually wear in my ear has a moonstone in it."

I grinned then looked at his ear again. I'd forgotten – T.J. had worn an earring the first time I'd seen him. Now, it wasn't that he was wearing a different one, he didn't have one at all. I frowned, "Why did you take it out?"

He focused his attention to his basket of fries, "Eh, just… ah, you know… kinda childish and all that…"

I tilted my head to the side, "You didn't… you didn't do it for… for me, did you?"

"No, of course not!" he said quickly – too quickly, if you ask me. "I just think I'm done with that phase, and I look better without it."

"Suuure," I said, skeptically. "What about your moonstone, then?"

He shrugged, seeming to be glad that I was dropping that subject, "I haven't felt the need to wear it lately, anyhow."

"Do you really feel _that_ drawn to magic things?" I asked, "That you felt the need to wear a moonstone?"

He laughed, "It's not like that, exactly… I just always liked the 'different' and 'odd', you know? Even when I was little… Now, I'm sure that lots of little boys like monsters and stuff, but I was just obsessed with them. It drove my sister crazy."

"How so?"

"Well…" he looked embarrassed, "I drew doodles of little monsters all over her bedroom wall when I was five. And it wasn't the first time I'd done it, nor was it the last."

I snorted into my glass as I brought the straw to my lips again, "Oh my word, T.J…. my mother would have murdered me for less than that! Probably did, for all I know. I don't really recall ever doing it, but I easily could have…"

He shook his head, "Well, my parents were mad, sure, but no one was more upset than my sister. I still don't know what she had against them – even my mother admitted they were cute."

I poked my salad a few more times. "I'm sure they _were_ cute. I'm rather fond of small little monsters." I watched my salad, thinking.

"Hey," T.J. said, pulling me from my thoughts. His face was concerned. "Everything okay? You've seemed really distracted."

I sighed, unsure of what to say. But, did it really matter what I said to him, now? I had already spent the evening with him on what most people would consider to be a date. I already felt guilty – it couldn't make me feel any worse.

"Things just haven't felt right, lately. Earlier this week was my… my year mark of meeting Jareth…"

T.J. pulled a neutrally interested face. I could tell he was doing his best to keep it neutral. "Did he forget it?"

I smiled a little, "No, I did, actually."

His neutrality slipped, "You?"

I nodded, "Yes, me. Jareth was the one who remembered – and it was a really nice evening. Since then, though… I mean, just within the last few days, something's just off. I don't like that feeling."

He didn't say anything for a long time. I looked up and met his eyes – he wanted to say something, but seemed unsure. I watched him debate over it for a good three minutes before he seemed to get the courage to say it.

"Would you totally beat the crap out of me if I said that hearing about rocky times between you two didn't make me entirely unhappy?" his voice was low and his face half-way serious.

"Yes," I said, defiantly, "I would beat the crap out of you. _If_ you said it, that is." When the awkward silence settled between us again, I forced it away and spoke up again. I wasn't going to let this get out of hand or remain in obscurity.

"T.J.," I said, firmly, "I am with Jareth, so please don't do… I like to talk with you and all, but this can't…"

He held up a hand, "Whoa, okay, okay, I know!" he laughed and pulled a mockingly chivalrous face, "Dear lady, forgive me for my grievances against thee, and allow me to make it up to you by… uh…" he looked around the table, "…doodling you a little monster." He snatched up a spare napkin and withdrew a pen from his pocket.

I rolled my eyes, and laughed despite my ire. "Fine! No need to go all Renaissance on me here…" I watched him scribble on the napkin. The more I watched, I realized that he wasn't just scribbling – he really was drawing me a monster, and he was quite good at it. "Whoa, where did you learn to draw like that?"

"Practice," he said absently. He was quiet for a second, then he gave me a look, "While I'm doing this… can I confess something to you?"

I eyed him, warily, "It won't earn you another doodle with me, will it?"

He shook his head, "No… I don't think so… I just wanted to confess that…well, I know where you got the Siren Song tickets from."

I blinked, "You do?"

He smiled, "You got them from the same person I gave _mine_ to…"

"Ah, shoot!" I breathed, covering my now red face with one of my hands, "You're friends with Ms. Flemming, aren't you?"

"Yep, you could say that," he said before finishing off the doodle with a dramatic flourish and handing me the napkin, "For you, my lady!"

It was hysterical! A little squatty monster with buggy eyes and bat-like ears, sitting down and wearing oversized boots with the laces all undone. The scrawly smile was awesome – it reminded me, vaguely, of Squyshee. "I've got a friend who'll love to see this," I said, "Apology accepted."

T.J. laughed and snatched up another napkin to doodle on while we talked, his burger finished and his fries almost gone. I still had about half a salad left. "That one – with the boots – is a favorite of mine to draw. I've done him a couple of times before."

I looked at the drawing again. "Very cute, indeed. I wouldn't have taken you for an artist."

"I'm not," he said as he doodled, "I just doodle little monsters. I can't really draw much of anything else, nor can I work with any other medium. Besides, it's just a hobby of mine, nothing really special."

I watched him draw for a second, "What are you drawing now?" It was hard to make out, upside down.

"I don't know," he said, "Just a trinket or something. I can never decide what to make of it, but I like how it looks. See?"

He held the napkin to me, and I paled. T.J. frowned at my expression, and looked like he was going to say something, but I snatched the napkin from him and eyed it carefully, a rotten feeling spreading through my stomach.

"T.J.," I said, looking up at him, again, "Where did you see this?"

He frowned, "I made it up, Wren…"

"You did not," I all but growled, holding the napkin up to him, "Where did you see this? You… you had to have seen this before. Where?"

"Nowhere," he insisted, getting upset, "Wren, what's the deal? I swear, it's just a doodle!"

"It can't be," I whispered, looking at the drawing again. I stared, and as I did, I could feel the blood drain from my face.

How could T.J. have drawn this? It was impossible. Impossible! I had never even drawn it – not in that much detail, anyway. And the only time T.J. had met Jareth, he had been wearing his Aboveground clothes, so T.J. would never have seen… And yet, there it was.

Drawn with the most exact detail, as if I were looking at a black and white photograph of the thing itself, was Jareth's pendant, in ink, on the napkin.

An absolute terror spread through me. Things I had never thought of, things I had never wanted to think of, now began to form in my mind. It was like puzzle pieces, all fitting together, only I hadn't known that there had been a puzzle to solve, or even, as the case was, what the end picture would be. Everything began to click, and the end picture sat before my mind's eye, making me cold inside. It didn't seem possible, but then again, many things in my life that seemed impossible had turned into reality.

Slowly, shaking all over, I drew my eyes from the pen doodle to T.J.'s very confused face. There was one thing, one last piece. Without it, the rest was all just crazy coincidences that really had no tie together at all. It was the one thing that I had never asked him, never even thought to ask. How could I have missed this? How could I never have asked.

"What's wrong, Wren?" he asked me, his blue eyes round with concern.

"T.J.," I said, my voice quavering beyond my control, "What is your name?"

He laughed, looking puzzled. "Uh, that would be 'T.J.'-"

"No," I cut him off, softly, "What is your _full_ name?"

He didn't understand, he couldn't, and I couldn't tell him the truth to make him. A few words were all that stood between me and my deepest fears – the kind of fears that you don't even know exist until they come upon you, like a car accident, plane crash, or deadly disease. A few words were enough to burn bridges, start a war, seal someone's fate… And T.J. would not understand, because this was not something he knew to fear, as I now did.

He gave me a faint, and still confused, smile as he spoke the words that brought my world crumbling down around me.

"Tobias Jerome Williams… why?"

* * *


End file.
